The city of Arad could become the first city in Romania where local public transportation will be free. According to the City Hall, the initiative comes as a measure to mitigate the effects of increasing local taxes and fees, reports IPN.
The authorities in Arad have stated that the measure is also a way to capitalize on the major investments made in recent years for the modernization and enhancement of the attractiveness of local public transportation. Thus, the municipality aims to encourage the use of public transportation, contributing to the reduction of chemical and noise pollution, as well as to the streamlining of road traffic by reducing the use of personal vehicles.
The local administration is currently in the stage of analysis and consultation of the normative acts at the central level, which must be adhered to in the process of drafting a resolution project that is to be submitted for the approval of the Municipal Local Council. In the meantime, the necessary approvals for the implementation of this endeavor are being identified.
If the project is approved, Arad will become the first city in Romania with free public transportation and one of the few cities in Europe to implement this measure, alongside Luxembourg, Dunkirk and Tallinn.
According to public data, the city of Arad benefits from one of the most extensive local public transport networks in Romania. The tram transport network includes 15 lines, with a total round-trip route length of over 335 kilometers.
