The new low-floor buses will also be able to accommodate passengers in wheelchairs or with pushchairs. The vehicles will comply with the European Commission’s Euro 6 emission standards for diesel engines, resulting in cleaner air and a more pleasant and efficient commute.
As part of the financial package the EBRD plans to mobilise grant financing to help the municipality enhance its transport operations through a joint-stock company that will operate on commercial principles in order to improve the quality of services. The Bank will also support the city in establishing a regulatory body to manage public transport services in the metropolitan area of Constanta.
An additional grant will aim to help the newly established urban transport company to develop a tool to compare operational performance over time and gain information on industry standards in order to continue improving performance.
This loan to the city of Constanta is the fourth project under the EBRD’s new programme entitled Romania Framework for Sustainable Mobility and Access to Road Transport, or SMART, which finances improvements in public transport infrastructure and services in the country. It is also in line with the city’s Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan, which focuses on the modernisation of its public transport system.
The EBRD is a leading institutional investor in Romania, having invested over EUR7.3 billion to date in 384 projects and mobilised more than EUR14 billion from other sources of financing.