Mega in­vest­ment in the fu­ture of pub­lic trans­port

Every day, Graz Linien takes more than 300,000 passengers safely to their destination. The number of public transport users has been growing for years and this trend will also continue in the next few years due to the growth in population and the infrastructure projects in the city on the Mur.  The consequence from this development: Public transport and modern mobility services in Graz are being expanded further on all levels! For instance, within the framework of the project “Maintenance Graz Linien”.

City councillor responsible for shareholdings and finance Günter Riegler says on this: “In addition to various considerations regarding innovative and bold approaches relating to public transport, trams play a major role in a growing city like Graz. With the financing of around EUR 62 million which was approved last week in the control committee for the purchase of 15 new trams incl. the conversion and the expansion of the necessary infrastructure in Shed 3 in Eggenberg and a possible option for 40 additional trams to replace old trams, we are setting a milestone for public transport in Graz“.

Holding Graz CEO Wolfgang Malik adds: “We are of course, in addition to the innovative urban mobility projects for the central area of Graz, pursuing in parallel the expansion of the tram network and the renovation or maintenance of the tram fleet as part of a future-oriented overall system. In the west of the city, the lines in the direction of Reininghaus and “Smart City Graz” are being extended until the end of the year. The alleviation of the traffic situation in the city centre through Neutorgasse is also in planning and preparation. In the “Maintenance Graz Linien” master plan, the expansion of Steyrergasse South is planned in a constructive partnership with BALSA (Bundesaltlastensanierungsges.m.b.H.) to eliminate contaminated soil. A great collaboration, particularly as the hub for our fleet that is to be modernised is being created there.”

The “Maintenance Graz Linien” project:

The Graz Linien fleet is being extended due to the line projects under construction and will also be modernised over the next few years. The total investment of over EUR 150 million focusing on the workshop and shed infrastructure in Steyrergasse South is thus one of the central expansion projects of Holding Graz over the next 10 years. The trams of Graz Linien can thus be maintained in accordance with the state of the art and above all centrally.

The preliminary planning envisages that the company buildings of Holding Graz and Energie Graz which are more than 50 years old will make way and that these company organisations will be relocated to the company premises in Steyrergasse North, Auer-Welsbach-Gasse or at a later point in time to the company premises in Steyrergasse South.

One of the greatest challenges on the way there is also the remediation of the contaminated soil on this site which originates from the former gas plant of the city of Graz from the 1930s: The “Maintenance Graz Linien” project is thus a combination of environmental project and a necessary extension to operations which is being planned and implemented with BALSA as a special company of the federal government for the remediation of contaminated sites.

The planning and project development tasks in detail:

Full connection of the tracks to Schönaugürtel:

• To increase the flexibility and the reliability at the Steyrergasse South site, a full entrance and exit from Schönaugürtel, in each case from the east and west, is to be constructed on the company premises. A full connection via Schönaugürtel can thus be created in addition to the existing development via Steyrergasse.

Parking hall for 45 trams with an underground car park:

• In the excavation pit resulting from the site remediation, a one-storey underground car park with around 300 car parking spaces solely for company usage is envisaged. On top of the underground car park there will be a one-storey parking hall for around 45 long tram vehicles that will be connected to the existing tracks on Schönaugürtel.

Footpath and cycle path through the premises:

• Along the eastern boundary of the premises, a footpath and cycle path is to be developed that ideally links Schönaugürtel with Anzengrubergasse:

Extension of the main workshop in Steyrergasse:

• If there is an increase in the fleet from currently 85 to more than 100 vehicles, an extension of the capacities of the main workshop by further inspection stands should be possible. Training workshops and various office and ancillary rooms are planned on the upper floor.

Extension of Shed 2 Steyrergasse:

• Graz Linien has currently parked 24 short tram vehicles (27 m) in Shed 2 of Steyrergasse.  Remise 2 is too short to park two long vehicles (up to 38 m) behind one another. An extension of the shed to the building line in Steyrergasse will make it possible to park two long vehicles (up to 38 m) behind one another. In addition, the respective company workshop plus washing facility, in which trams are made ready for service every day, will also have to be converted for 38-m vehicles. This investment will at any rate be brought forward in light of the procurement of 15 long trams.