WB says ready to fund HCM City’s bus network

The World Bank (WB) said on Wednesday it was willing to supply US$300 million for HCMC to develop the bus rapid transit system within the next few years under the framework of a green transport development project.

The project aims to meet urgent transport demands in the city by setting up a bus rapid transit (BRT) network, upgrade existing buses, improve the efficiency of roads and metro lines and enhance the city’s transport management capacity, said the bank’s senior urban transport specialist Ke Fang.

“Bus will remain a key transport means within the next five or 10 years although the city is investing heavily into metro projects,” Fang said at the meeting with HCMC vice chairman Nguyen Thanh Tai at the City Hall on Wednesday.

He explained that even after metro lines are put to use in the future, the commuter bus network would still play an important role in transport connection.

Besides financial support, the global lender will share knowledge and experience in planning, investment and operation of public transport means, said Fang, who in the previous days had had working sessions with related agencies in the city.

Paul Vallely, the bank’s transport sector coordinator, said at the meeting that half of the estimated fund of US$300 million for the city should be spent on developing BRT routes, while US$80 million is planned for upgrading the bus fleet and the remaining US$70 million for improving infrastructure and capacity building.

Vice chairman Tai at the meeting asked the Department of Transport to quickly establish a steering group to coordinate with the World Bank in developing this project, with a specific target to put the project into place before end-2013.