The European Investment Bank announced
over the past months that it will grant loans
to support the development of public
transport systems in the following cities :
– Brussels: a long-term loan of €250
million has been granted to STIB, the
public transport company of the Belgian
capital city, so as to modernise tramway
infrastructures and renew its rolling stock
(purchase of 15 metro cars, 46 tramway
cars, 360 buses and 32 articulate buses).
The total cost of the project amounts to
€565 million.
– Dublin: a €60 million loan has
been granted to the Rail Procurement
Agency, which is responsible for building
News from the cities
the tramway project (LUAS), that shall
improve the mobility conditions in the
Greater Dublin Area as of 2004 (see EMTA
News n°8).
– Stockholm: a €108 million has been
granted to the County of Stockholm
to fund the acquisition of 70 metro
units. 125 units were already funded
by EIB loans in 2001 and 2002.
These
new metro cars (so-called Vagn 2000) will
replace obsolete rolling stock on the
oldest part of the network, with quieter,
more energy-efficient vehicles.