With 40 million euro allocated by the Tuscan Region for public bus transit, more than 300 new buses will soon be taking to the roads in the cities and towns of Tuscany.
The funds will purchase 304 new buses: 254 for operation within towns and cities, 44 in suburban areas and 6 in villages.
Regional transportation minister Vincenzo Ceccarelli commented, ‘The Region’s efforts have been rewarded with a renewal of the fleet. This will be completed through another tender for public transit services, in which at least it is expected that 1,000 more buses will be purchased.’
Tuscany’s regional trains, on the other hand, are in a pitiful state, hampered by an ageing fleet, delays and cancellations. Regional president Enrico Rossi: ‘At the end of 2014, the contract with Trenitalia will expire and, this time there will be no automatic renewal to cover the next six years … We intend to hold an international call for bids [to provide service] on the regional rail network.’
More than 240,000 people commute to work by train every day in Tuscany and the Tuscan Region spends 250 million euro annually to run the service.
Rossi continued, ‘This is an important decision for the future of the region, and we are determined that by breaking away from the monopoly the regional rail service will be made better, easier and more efficient for the many commuters who use it.’
