As modern transport mode, the tram is essential in meeting the citizens’ mobility demands. Over the past years, European and Asian countries alike have either reintroduced trams or have even built new tram networks to deliver a comfortable and efficient urban transport mode. Tram transport does not need massive financing grants compared to the underground system, which is 4 times more expensive than the construction of a tram infrastructure.
In Central Europe and Asia, decision makers face challenges in developing strategies for supporting and improving the life quality which, in turn, would help reduce individual transport and carbon dioxide emissions. Therefore, the tram has become more than a simple mode of transport, being also a means of developing the sustainable urban mobility, of re-thinking cities and or reviving districts. For example, in order to renew their tram infrastructure, CIS countries and those in Central and Eastern Europe have to invest around EUR 3 Billion to deliver an efficient and comfortable transport. But the projects are a true challenge both for these countries and for those in Central Asia. “Asian countries will face challenges in the coming years because they will have to make sure that public transport maintain a stable market share so as to not let cities fall to congestion and pollution. Strangely, the alarming number of individual cars, especially in big cities, has forced the authorities to pay more attention to public transport. However, political will is still necessary to include these problems as priorities in the agenda of national governmental bodies and local administrations”, declared Alain Flausch, the new Secretary General of UITP.
However, the cities try to elaborate plans and projects to revive and increase the importance of urban rail transport. For
example, the big cities of Russia, such as St. Petersburg and Moscow, implement urban transport development projects, focusing on tram infrastructure. At the end of 2011, the authorities in St. Petersburg signed an agreement for the development of a modern tram network and, in Moscow, through the adoption of the “Transport Development Transport in 2012-2016”, they plan to invest RUB 1.5 Billion (EUR 386 Million), the equivalent of 20-25% of the city’s annual budget for the development of urban transport and infrastructure including the development of tram and metro lines and the renewal of the rolling stock fleet.
The city of Baku also needs projects for the development of the tram network. According to the press, this year the authorities plan to reintroduce a tram line aimed at developing the area it crosses and help improve the life quality in the respective districts which have potential for the development of new economic centres. Baku also promotes the implementation of projects for the development of electric public transport in order to reduce congestion and pollution.
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