Sofia’s Urban Environment – News in Brief
Intouro – Mercedes-Benz buses will run along lines 63 and 66 to Morenite of Vitosha Mountain, as announced by the ‘Transport and Transport Communications’ department of Sofia Municipality. The buses are well equipped for mountainous areas. Furthermore, they have large luggage compartments for ski equipment, snowboards, bicycles etc. They have 60 seats, which is three times the capacity of the buses, currently serving the lines. The first 6 of the 10 new buses became operational on December 22. Sofia Municipality is ready to put into operation additional buses during the peak hours.
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The presentation of Sofia’s draft budget to committees, councils, business and media has been launched. A total of BGN 1.58 billion is envisaged for 2019. No increase in taxes and fees is expected, except for the changes in the vehicle tax and the building tax for resorts, adopted by the Parliament.
Ecology and hygiene remain top priorities. In 2019, Sofia Municipality will allocate more funds to the sectors of education, healthcare, culture, social activities, defense and security and transport.
The largest amount of funds is envisaged again for the construction of the metro and the launch of the main part of the third metro line. A total of BGN 550 million is allocated for transport and infrastructure. BGN 51.3 million will be spent for construction and repair works of main streets and boulevards. Another BGN 133 million is allocated for new buses and trams. Reconstructions are planned as follows: Philip Kutev street in Lozenets district, Montevideo boulevard in Ovcha Kupel to the last section to the metro, Todor Kableshkov street from Bulgaria blvd. to Kostenski vodopad str., Peter Dertliev street, Lincoln street and Narodno Horo street in Ovcha Kupel, Skobelev blvd. and the tunnel of the National Palace of Culture, Nikolay Copernicus street in Slatina and Strossmayer street in Vazrazhdane district, as well as the connections with the North Speed Tangent through Vladimir Vazov blvd.
The budget also envisages BGN 4.5 million for street lighting, BGN 33 million for purchase of 13 low-floor trams and BGN 100 million for new electric and CNG buses.
A total of BGN 68 million is proposed for education, including the construction of 15 new kindergartens. Sofia Municipality will also re-cultivate the old landfills in Suhodol, Dolni Bogrov and Sadina with an estimated budget of BGN 18 million.
The draft budget of Sofia Municipality might be changed following discussions with citizens, political groups in Sofia Municipal Council, as well as in the Municipal Council itself.
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A wide public forum for the amendment of the Master Plan of Sofia Municipality and its effects on important aspects of urban life – economic activity, mobility, ecological status, resource use, quality of life, etc., will be held on January 17, 2019 from 3 pm to 6 pm in the John Atanasov Hall of Sofia Tech Park. Current news about the forum can be found here.
