Tbilisi to Have Environmentally Friendly and Adapted Buses in 2016

One hundred and fifty environmentally friendly buses are to be added to the Tbilisi bus fleet next year, according to the statement of Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania at the presentation of the Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) that Tbilisi City Hall is actively working on in order to decrease pollution and harmful gases in the city.

“We already finished negotiations with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which allocated EUR 30 million for the purchase of CNG (compressed natural gas) buses. 150 buses will be purchased. A tender will be announced and prices will be determined,” said the Mayor.

City Hall has also prepared a three-year strategy on adaptation of the city for disabled people, a project already under way, which has the aim of fully removing barriers for people with disabilities. One step of this is a number of public transport means being replaced with new adapted ones from 2016.

The Economic Affairs Department of Tbilisi City Hall developed the Sustainable Energy Action Plan with non-governmental organization Remission. The plan includes projects for the development of transportation, buildings, municipal infrastructure and green spaces.

SEAP was developed in the framework of the Covenant of Mayors Program. Tbilisi joined the Covenant of Mayors in 2010. It aims to reduce CO2 emissions by at least 20% by 2020.

According to Covenant of Mayors, SEAP monitoring should be carried out every two years.

Ana Akhalaia