After 72 years of continuous presence on the streets of Athens and Piraeus, the trolleybuses are being gradually withdrawn, marking the end of an era. The dismantling began on Sunday morning (7/12) in Piraeus in the presence of Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis, however there was tension with workers who oppose the process, as reported by ERT.
Mr. Kyranakis conveyed to the workers that the decision was made based on both the technical condition of the existing network and the economic benefits for the public sector. He also committed that no jobs will be lost, on the contrary there will be new driver hirings and salary increases, while services will become more frequent and reliable.
It’s worth noting that the project will last 18 months, with 143 km of cables to be dismantled, approximately 70% of the network, while services will be replaced by electric buses.
Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis speaking to SKAI said: “This is a very important day which cannot be overshadowed by any disagreement. After all, disagreements are always part of democratic dialogue. Today begins the dismantling of trolleybus cables, here from Piraeus”.
Over 70% of the trolleybus cable network to be eliminated
As the Deputy Transport Minister said, the elimination of 70% of overhead cables begins, initially in Piraeus and then in Athens, freeing the urban skyline and reducing maintenance costs. As part of the transition, lines 17 and 20 will be replaced by modern electric buses.
The data shows that operating costs per kilometer are significantly lower: 5.5 euros for trolleybuses versus just 2.5 euros for electric buses. Additionally, the old network would require extensive reconstruction costing 20 million euros, making the change economically inevitable.
The new plan provides that for every two trolleybuses withdrawn, three electric buses will be purchased, thus increasing vehicle availability. Combined with new driver hirings and salary increases, services are expected to become more frequent and reliable.
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