New bus lanes in Tbilisi ensure faster, safer drive
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New bus lanes have been introduced on several mains streets of Georgia’s capital today to alleviate traffic woes and promote road safety in Tbilisi.
The new bus lanes are only for public transport – buses and minibuses (marshutka). The general public who drive their personal vehicles in the bus lanes will be fined.
Similarly, buses and minibuses must only drive in the dedicated bus lanes and not amongst the general traffic.
The new bus lanes were clearly painted yellow. The new bus lanes were from:
- Turtle Lake entrance to Vake Park, on Cholokashvili Ave
- From Vake Park to Giorgi Tsereteli St
- Along both directions of Gorgasali St
Dividing the movement of general road traffic and public buses promoted road safety, said Tbilisi City Hall. Photo by Tbilisi City Hall.
Tbilisi City Hall said public transport – buses and minibuses – were permitted to travel in the new bus lanes. All other people – taxi drivers included – were forbidden to drive in the new bus lanes.
Bus lanes are not painted at crossroads or on side streets so cars and taxi drivers can move into these areas. However it is prohibited for them to drive in the bus lane,” said Tbilisi City Hall.
If public transport drivers move out of the bus lane and into the main road of traffic, they will be fined.
Tbilisi City Hall’s Transport Service said dividing the movement of general road traffic and public buses promoted road safety as it meant buses and marshutkas no longer could weave over several lanes when picking up and dropping off passengers.
Because of this, traffic would be more fluid and vehicles could move faster along the roads, said the Transport Service.
Looking ahead bus lanes will also be painted on Aghmashenebeli Ave and in other popular roads, said Tbilisi City Hall.
Meanwhile Deputy Head of the Administration of the Government of Georgia, Nino Kobakhidze, posted a photo on her Facebook page showing new buses arriving in Tbilisi from Poland.
New gas operated buses are already in Tbilisi. Photo source: Nino Kobakhidze/Facebook.
The new blue buses are better for the environment than the current yellow buses, and will operate in Tbilisi thanks to an agreement between leading international provider of commercial vehicles, the Man Truck and Bus AG Company.
The agreement said in the next seven months 143 new buses will be added to the Tbilisi public transport service.
The first blue buses started appearing on Tbilisi streets earlier this month.
In the next seven months 143 new buses will be added to the Tbilisi public transport service. Photo by Tbilisi City Hall.
The new buses run on compressed natural gas (CNG), meaning they are more energy efficient, produce reduced vehicle emissions and are cheaper to operate than diesel-equivalent buses.
As well as being more efficient and economical, the new buses are also ideal for bio fuels – CO2-neutral.
Tbilisi City Hall said all the new buses will be adapted for people with disabilities.
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