Save Sofia offers a new tram line - № 17
Save Sofia / Spasi Sofia (a non-governmental civil organization) offers a new tram line on Bulgaria Blvd., which will run parallel to line 7 between Borovo and Macedonia Square, after which the route will continue on Alabin Street and Kn. Maria Luiza Blvd. to Central Station.
“With our proposal, we aim to improve the comfort of travel and reduce the intervals for traffic on Bulgaria Blvd. and along the National Palace of Culture. The current line 7 is the second busiest and most used line in Sofia and trams often travel crowded. This is expected, given the non-stop construction of the southern neighborhoods, and therefore we propose another line to move along Bulgaria Blvd., providing new direct connections with the center,” said independent municipal councilor and leader of Save Sofia Boris Bonev.
Organization of Traffic in Connection with Reconstruction of a Tram Track in Sofia
Save Sofia says that their proposal is based on the data of the Center for Urban Mobility(CFUM), which shows the load of tram line 7 is above the allowable, as well as having the best collection of tickets in the whole city. “In the context of the difficult state of public transport in the capital, we propose a reorganization of tram transport, so that without additional financial costs, both passenger service and revenue from cards and tickets will be improved. That is why we expect the government to support our proposal and to introduce it when the renovation of Macedonia Square is completed at the end of February,” said Andrey Zografski of Save Sofia, who is also an expert at the Transport Commission of the Sofia Municipal Council.
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Among the motives of the city activists is the creation of new direct connections with public transport between the southern districts, the center, and the busiest metro stations. “With line 17 we will be able to travel without connections between densely populated neighborhoods such as Gotse Delchev and Strelbishte and the metro stations Serdica and Lion's Bridge. Intervals will be reduced, and people will wait less at stops and travel comfortably in less crowded trams.” - explained the benefits representatives of Save Sofia.
With the introduction of the new line 17, a reorganization of some of the existing lines is envisaged in order to optimize costs and improve connections. Trams from line 1 will be assigned to the new line 17, and tram 6 will be reinforced with three more trains in order to improve the service of important neighborhoods such as Ivan Vazov, Nadezhda, Svoboda, and Obelya. "Our proposal takes into account both the improvement of the conditions for travel by public transport and the financial aspects of the system. We believe that all sides will benefit from these changes," concludes municipal councilor Boris Bonev.
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