"Budapest's state-run public transport company, BKV Zrt, is to restructure the schedule of some 500 lines in two phases from Aug 21 and Sep 6.This latter will include changes to the company’s so-called parameter-book – its commitment to provide public services – after a moratorium on changes the company gave unions during the strikes this spring comes to an end on Sep 1.
BKV hopes that the changes will result in savings in excess of Ft1bn ($6.32m) yearly, some way shy of its original goal to save Ft6bn ($38m) annually, which triggered the strikes earlier this year. These savings will take effect only from next year, according to BKV spokesman Karola Kiricsi, because this year Ft200m ($1.27m) was entirely spent on preparations for the switch, with an additional Ft100m used to inform passengers about the changes.
That included the printing of some 850,000 leaflets, sending letters to 260,000 Budapest homes and phoning 250,000 Budapesters (mainly pensioners) to inform them about the upcoming changes.
The company’s operational loss was Ft14.3bn ($90.36m) last year, and is expected to be around Ft11bn ($70m) in 2008. The current debts of BKV exceed Ft81bn ($511m).
Dilettante
According to the company, the changes implemented in phase I (on Aug 21) went without problems. And while the Urban and Suburban Transportation Alliance (VEKE) accused the BKV of being “dilettante” in implementing the changes and in informing passengers, no major issues were reported during the first day’s operation of the restructured schedule.
Changes focused on suburban public transportation this time. All HÉV (suburban rail) lines were changed, except for the Szentendre line, which currently does not operate normally, anyway, since it has to share its tracks with several railway lines on the Budapest-Esztergom route, due to roadworks.
The switch was supported by some 300 BKV employees and students, who provided help for passengers at major junctions and stops.
The schedules of a few important downtown lines were also reorganized. One of the most important changes is that the last vehicles of the three Metro lines (whose hours will be extended from Sep 6) will wait for each other at the Deák tér station. While the #4 tram line will stop operating at 10:30pm, #6 line (with almost identical path) will operate until 12:30am.
In the new scheme all lines will have unique numbers (there will not be a #6 tram and a #6 bus line), which makes the renumbering of several lines necessary. Lines with names (such as the Pólus Busz between Baross tér and Pólus Center shopping mall) will also have numbers.
Red express lines will have an additional E to mark them as such. Further details of the changes can be read at BKV’s website at www.bkv.hu"
Source: Budapest Sun
01.09.2008