Minister Arriola stresses that Euskotren is already 15% up on the pre-pandemic figures and predicts a record-breaking number of journeys in 2023

- The Basque Government's Minister Transport and Mayor Maider Etxebarria were at the opening of the Green Urban Mobility forum, where 150 professionals discussed the influence of sustainable urban mobility on the transformation of cities

- Arriola stressed that, on the eve of the 15th anniversary of the Vitoria-Gasteiz tramway coming into service, the capital of Álava is an example of environmental commitment and to promoting sustainable mobility, with the tramway at the core.

Iñaki Arriola, the Basque Government's Minister for Territorial Planning, Housing and Transport, explained that Euskotren will break its record number of journeys in 2023, as they are already up 15% on the pre-pandemic figures in 2019, pending the final data for the last two months of the year.

“There has already been a total of thirty-nine point five million journeys by all the means of transport operated by Euskotren. This is up 22% on the same period of the previous year and 15% higher than in 2019, the benchmark year for public transport figures", pointed out Arriola during the opening of the Green Urban Mobility forum held at the Europa Conference Centre in Vitoria-Gasteiz this morning.

The holder of the Transport portfolio, together with Mayor Maider Etxebarria, was alongside the 150 professionals from the field of mobility and urban planning at a seminar organised to mark the 15th anniversary of the Vitoria-Gasteiz tramway coming into service; the aim of the seminar was to discuss and share expertise around the influence of sustainable mobility in the transformation of cities.

Arriola stressed that Vitoria-Gasteiz is an example of environmental commitment and to promoting sustainable mobility, with the tramway at the core: "In these 15 years, the tramway has clocked up over 150 million journeys.  Demand has grown steadily year-on-year, except during the pandemic for obvious reasons.  Between January and October of this year, 7.2 million passengers had already used the tramway, nearly 7% up on the accumulated figure in the same period of 2019.  The tramway has not only become an element of urban cohesion, but has also altered the appearance of the city and changed the urban planning of its streets and squares".

In turn, the Mayor of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Maider Etxebarria, pointed out that “the mobility of the present and of the future must be sustainable, something that Vitoria-Gasteiz has championed for decades and which is now also an economic opportunity. Innovation and the new means of transport must act as a lever to drive our economic fabric and generate quality employment. 'Green' is no longer just a colour and has become an economic driver".

Urban mobility and city design, trends in digitalisation and active mobility, along with issues such as cutting CO2 emissions in transport, the increase in home deliveries and the ensuing environmental impact or the restrictions on private vehicles in the city centres were covered by the papers and panels at the forum organised by the Basque Government's Ministry of Transport, Euskotren and Euskal Trenbide Sarea.