In the Mersin Metropolitan Municipality Council's November 2020 Meeting, the foreign loan to be used for the new environmentally friendly buses was also on the agenda. Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Vahap Seçer stated that they will buy 73 new buses in addition to the 100 CNG buses they previously bought, and stated that they want to use foreign loans up to 22 million Euros in this context. President Seçer stated that natural gas-fueled vehicles are both environmentally friendly and less costly with fuel savings, and that these vehicles will save 64 million liras in fuel costs, which reach 33 million lira per year. The loan request for the bus was forwarded to commissions.
7 million euros will be donated
Speaking about the non-profit European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) established with the partnership of 64 countries, President Seçer emphasized that the bank is a financial institution that supports environmentally friendly projects. Describing the importance of participating in the EBRD 'Green City' program, Seçer stated that there is a 1,5 billion euro fund under the program. to approve loans of the Bank's only choice that expresses the Metropolitan wait for permission from institutions in the Republic of Turkey, "a loan of 22 million euros. 7 million Euros of this will be donated to us. We will pay 15 million Euros in 2 years, 8 years without payment. And we will pay in equal installments twice a year, every 2 months. This costs us Libor plus 6 percent annually. Our repayment amount corresponds to 3.4 million 18 thousand Euros ”.
"160 buses that have expired in our fleet need to be replaced"
Stating that they bought 73 natural gas buses with their own budget and these vehicles will be put into service in the coming days, President Seçer continued as follows:
“As of today, we have a fleet of 252 vehicles in Mersin. We carry around 33 million 500 thousand passengers annually. Our occupancy rate per vehicle varies between 80% and 120%. The average passenger increase per year is around 10%. The lifetime of public transport buses is 10 years. If you want to travel your citizens on a comfortable, safer, cleaner bus, their economic life is 10 years. Unfortunately, 1975 buses in our fleet between 2008 and 160, which have expired, need to be replaced. Buses that have completed their useful life naturally break down frequently. It requires maintenance and repair costs. This is much more than the younger buses cost us. Thus, the maintenance and repair costs of these vehicles are eliminated if these purchases occur. In addition, since we will also use smart transportation systems, we prefer to have buses that adapt. "
Noting that citizens have demands to increase the routes and trips, Seçer said, “We currently need 177 new vehicles to improve our existing lines. We got 73 of these. According to this calculation, we need more 104 vehicles as of today. Because we want our citizens to travel more comfortably and waste less time. We need to open 7 new lines right now. "If we are going to tell people to turn to public transportation, we need to open a line to places that do not have that city bus right now and give them a municipal bus."
"Eco-friendly buses will save half on fuel"
Stating that fuel savings will be achieved with newly purchased buses, President Seçer said, “We will expand the public transport service by purchasing our new buses. It will be an economical and safe transportation service. Flight cancellations will not occur and passengers will not be victims. In the Covid process, flights will be more frequent and we will reduce the negative effects of the pandemic in this way. Maintenance and repair costs are natural and will be less in new buses. Fuel savings will now be achieved. That is to say, we have to pay 252 million 64 thousand 156 lira for diesel per year for 956 public transport buses. However, if these vehicles are powered by natural gas, we will have to pay 30 million 890 thousand 386 liras for fuel. Our annual savings on fuel alone will be 33 million 266 thousand 570 TL ”.
"The grant to be received for the bicycle path includes 45% of the project cost"
The article regarding the grant application for the "bicycle path project between Mezitli District Menderes District and Akdeniz District Nusratiye Mahallesi" to the financial grant support for the bicycle path, green walking path and environmentally friendly street projects of the municipalities by the Ministry of Environment and Urbanization, and the articles sent to the commission unanimously. was between. President Seçer said, “We currently have 17 thousand 640 meters of bicycle path. We aim to reach this to 2020 kilometers by the end of 100. We are making the tender of the project, which we are talking about now, on November 24. Its tender will be held next week. I cannot say the cost of the project because it is put out to tender. However, the grant includes 45% of the project cost. In case the project is accepted, the ministry looks very warmly at the bicycle path projects. We do not think it will be a problem, ”he said.
Amateur sports clubs and support for athletes were also on the agenda of the assembly
The proposal, which was discussed in the Assembly regarding the award of a total of 570 TL to athletes, coaches, technical management and students who have achieved outstanding achievement or degree at the national and international level and applied for an award to the Metropolitan Municipality, was unanimously accepted.
Year in amateur sports clubs than 20 thousand cash benefit some council members reminding made, Mersin Olympic Talents Sports Club's amputee football team, Turkey Physically Disabled Sports Federation Amputee Football 1 League, said he represents Mersin and said the team He asked why 5 thousand TL cash aid was made. The municipal bureaucrats announced that they thought of a special surprise to the said teams for the 3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities and that they would greatly support them. President Seçer said the issue had been reached and evaluated before. Stating that they dealt with the applications made in the light of existing information, President Seçer said, "If there is something we missed, we will do what is necessary, do not worry."
"If there are successful athletes and sports clubs in your area, inform us"
Some of the council members have raised that athletes who have recently ranked in sports branches have also applied and are waiting for a response. President Seçer stated that the awards of the athletes who achieved success in 2019 were given in 2020, but they were delayed by the end of the year due to the pandemic. Seçer noted that they will reward the successful athletes in 2020 in 2021. Emphasizing that the awards will not be delayed by the end of the year in 2021, Seçer said, "If there are such institutions in your region or district that are successful, in need of support, inform us of the sports clubs we missed, and we will do the necessary assistance."
Increasing cases and epidemic measures discussed
Due to the recently increasing epidemic cases, tightening of the measures has also been brought to the agenda in the council meetings. A member of parliament suggested that fewer speeches should be taken, speeches should be kept short, thus shortening assembly times. President Seçer stated that they have to make a promise to those who demand the right to speak, but that they can take maximum measures. Seçer also conveyed urgent healing wishes to council members Murat Sakuçoğlu and Serhat Servet Dövenci, who tested positive for Covid-19.
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