site.btaTransport Minister Sabev Speaks of Entirely New Commuter System and Integration of Train and Bus Services

Transport and Communications Minister Nikolay Sabev Tuesday set forth his vision of an entirely new model of commuter services and synchronizing railway and bus services. He was speaking during a discussion on the development of public transport in the 2022-2027 period with the participation of representatives of all transport sectors, MPs of the parliamenary Transport Committee, the unions, members of the National Association of Municipalities, as well as non-governmental organizations.

Sabev believes that bus and train passenger services should not compete but rather work together in public interest by increasing mobility opportunities.

Foreign experts have been invited to help in applying a new model for integrated transport.

In Sabev’s words, Bulgaria’s future transport network must be constructed around railways. A single control centre should set the timetables, an expert group will do the adjustments, he added.

He catalogued the problems in public road transport: it is impossible to coordinate bus lines with the current transport patterns; intercity bus routes cannot be matched with the train schedules; the timetables and routes are inadequate to the passenger volume, among others.

Bus operators agreed that synchronization of the transport system and better distribution of state funds are needed. According to them, the sector faces major problems due to lack of effective regulation and state policy.

Petar Zahariev, Chairperson of the National Association of Coach Operators in Bulgaria, told BTA that the legislation regulating passenger bus services needs to be revised to provide safeguards against unlicensed bus carriers.  He said that amendments were agreed with the previous government but are not yet in force, and the sector sees this as lobbyism.

Magdalena Miltenova, Chairperson of the Confederation of Coach Operators, said that public transport is plagued by a shortage of staff and the lack of passengers. The situation was worsened amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the high fuel prices, she added.