Szeged Leads the Way in Clean Electric Public Transport

Four SOR TNS 12 trolleybuses were put into service in the southeastern Hungarian city of Szeged on Thursday. At the ceremony, the CEO of the Hungarian Mobility Development Agency (HUMDA), Virág Mészáros said that there is no more important aspect in the field of mobility than sustainability.

The four trolleybuses, which can cover a distance of 50 kilometers independently of the overhead line network, were purchased with a HUF 577 million grant from HUMDA Plc. under the Green Bus Program, the CEO said. She added that the local government provided HUF 232 million of the purchase price of the vehicles.

Virág Mészáros reminded that the company also supported the purchase of eight pure electric BYD buses with more than HUF 1 billion, which have been transporting passengers in Szeged since last year.

Deputy mayor for urban development, Sándor Nagy stressed that sustainability is of paramount importance for Szeged, which is why, in addition to improving public transport, the conditions for cycling and walking are also being improved.

According to the last survey conducted in Szeged in 2018, the share of public transport in the city's commuting was 36%, higher than the share of car use, the politician said.

In order to maintain the role of public transport, we need regular trams, trolleybuses and buses with good quality services, which are a real alternative to car use," Sándor Nagy said.

The deputy mayor explained that this is why the municipality has launched a HUF one billion program over three years to renovate old vehicles. First of all, the Skoda-Ikarus vehicles, which form the backbone of the trolleybus fleet, will be reconstructed.

The full-length low-floor SOR TNS 12 trolleybuses, manufactured by Czech company SOR Libchavy s.r.o., are equipped with an energy-saving propulsion system. The 12-meter long, three-door, air-conditioned vehicle has 34 seats and 43 standing places.