Kaunas, which is implementing its strategic development plan until 2030, continues to look for sustainable solutions in the field of transportation. In the near future, a feasibility study will be started on new high-performance ones public transport species in the city. The Kaunas City Council, which met on Tuesday, unanimously supported such an initiative.
Expands the list of implemented innovations
According to today's data, the transport sector generates 51 percent of of all greenhouse gas emissions. In order to reduce this number and make public transport even more attractive, a sectoral transport strategic planning document - the Kaunas City Sustainable Mobility Plan - was prepared four years ago.
"Beautiful we have already implemented most of the planned measures: traffic management, smart parking, reduced pollution emission control, public transport priority systems at traffic light intersections have been implemented. Information boards are also installed at the stops.
In order to ensure a more energy-efficient and sustainable transport system, we will prepare a feasibility study that will answer questions about the need for new types of high-performance public transport in the city", says Paulius Keras, Deputy Director of Kaunas Municipality Administration.
From express buses to trams
According to the head of the Transport and Traffic Management Department of Kaunas Municipality, Martynas Matusevičius, currently passenger flows and their distribution are monitored only on existing public transport routes. During the preparation of the feasibility study, respondents in all city wards would be proportionally interviewed about their journeys by public transport, directions and expectations.
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"The main goal is to assess the available public transport fleet, its distribution and network expansion possibilities. Specialists will explain how Kaunas and suburban residents travel, what their habits are. Experts will identify the most efficient means of transport that could further contribute to sustainable mobility in the future - whether express buses, trams or other alternatives.
One of the goals is to reduce the number of cars on the streets. This could be ensured by faster and more convenient public transport. The feasibility study would answer which public transport network would be the most attractive, the most economical, which method of travel in the city would be the most sustainable, by calculating the amount of CO2 emitted by vehicles per transported passenger according to the capacity of the vehicle", explained M. Matusevičius.
With the approval of the Kaunas City Council, the European Union 2022-2027 will contribute to the implementation of the feasibility study project. LIFE program measure "Capacities of European cities" - it is planned to allocate 60 thousand. euros.
High-performance public transport is a form of public transport that can transport at least 3600 passengers in one hour. The sustainable mobility plan provides that it can be express buses running on physically separated roads ("Bus rapid transit") or a modern tram.
Sustainable mobility measures
On its part, Kaunas continues to take measures to ensure sustainable mobility. In April of this year, the city and district municipalities signed a cooperation agreement on the transportation of passengers on regular local bus routes that enter the territory of the Kaunas district municipality, respectively, according to the needs of local residents.
Residents of the suburbs now use the City's public transport and the convenient electronic ticket system "Žiogas". In August of this year, the on-demand stop procedure came into force in Kaunas, as a result of which public transport has sped up, bus and trolleybus trips have become more comfortable, avoiding "empty" stops, saving fuel and energy resources.
At the same time, public transport in the city is being consistently renewed, its network is being expanded, and new technologies are being introduced, giving priority to buses and trolleybuses on city streets and intersections.
