Decision to abolish trolleybuses in Belgrade repealed

The decision to adopt a self-initiative proposal for a public-private partnership project for the provision of municipal public passenger transport in the territory of Belgrade, i.e. to replace existing trolleybus lines with electric bus lines, is officially repealed, i.e. to be repealed, at today’s session of the Belgrade City Assembly, it has been confirmed for eKapija.

The agenda item on the repeal of this controversial decision, adopted at the end of 2024, was subsequently included on the agenda of today’s session. This move comes after a few days ago, representatives of the GSP Beograd Trade Union Centar and several other unions and citizen associations requested the repeal of this decision and the urgent procurement of new trolleybuses for the needs of the largest city transport operator.

Let us remind that, in December 2024, the Belgrade City Assembly voted to replace trolleybuses with electric buses. The explanation for that decision stated that trolleybus transport in Belgrade had a rich history, but also major problems such as obsolescence of vehicles and equipment, and low efficiency. It was assessed that many trolleybus lines were in poor condition, with outdated poles and wires that had not been replaced for years, which often caused technical problems and slowed down and disrupted transport, and that the rolling stock was old and inefficient. Paradoxically, a few months before the adoption of that decision, the city announced not the abolition of the trolleybus subsystem, but its renewal by purchasing about a hundred new vehicles.

However, the main reason for the turn and adoption of this controversial decision in December 2024 was the city’s plan at the time, as indicated by those familiar with the matter, to cede the electrical subsystem to the Strela transport company for 20 years, enable it to introduce electric buses instead of trolleybuses, and on top of that, let it use of GSP’s Dorcol facility. As it was pointed out at the time, the city budget would allocate as much as 136.35 billion dinars for this PPP for the period of the contract.

This week’s findings by eKapija indicate that documentation is being prepared for the procurement of 60 autonomous single trolleybuses for the needs of GSP Beograd.

D. A.

JKP GSP Beograd

ASP Strela doo Obrenovac

GSP Beograd

City Assembly of Belgrade

ASP Strela

GSP Beograd Trade Union Centar

decision to abolish trolleybuses

repeal of decision to abolish trolleybuses

purchase of trolleybuses for needs of GSP Beograd