Contract for metro bus replacement tipped for late September, early October

Budapest, August 25 (MTI) – The municipal council of Budapest is expected to sign a contract in late September or early October on leasing buses for replacement services for metro line 3 while it is being renovated.

The related proposal was submitted by two deputy mayors and the Budapest assembly will debate it next Wednesday.

The Budapest transport authority (BKK) invited public bids for the project on July 12. A contract is expected to be signed unless an appeal is launched.

The winning bidder must start preparations quickly. A municipal decree is therefore needed to ensure financing for the project. Without the decree further delays are inevitable, the deputy mayors said.

Budapest Mayor István Tarlós earlier this year asked the government to cover the extra cost of contracting bus services instead of buying buses.

Whereas the government initially said Budapest should buy Hungarian-made buses for the replacement route, as this would dovetail with its strategy to create a national bus industry, it has since agreed to cover the costs of leasing the 150 buses in question.