Por Redaccion 
Barcia highlights that the City Council fulfills its commitment to the citizens by setting an example with sustainable vehicles
Councilor of Traffic, Mobility, and Public Transportation, Pelayo Barcia, presented six electric buses on Friday that will be added to the Emtusa fleet on Line 4.
He made these remarks to the media before the presentation of the buses at Plaza Mayor, where students from public schools Alfonso Camín, Ramón de Campoamor, and Escuelona named them ‘Centella’, ‘ElectroBús’, ‘Verdín’, ‘Autosostenible’, ‘Montusa’, and ‘Busi’.
These buses are part of the fleet renewal plan, as the fleet was very outdated when the government took over, with vehicles over 15 years old and over a million kilometers on them.
It was previously announced an investment of 27 million euros to renew the fleet during this term.
Barcia emphasized that these six electric buses, in addition to the hybrid vehicles presented a month ago, are intended to improve the service on Line 4.
He also highlighted that these are fully electric vehicles with an autonomy that will work perfectly throughout the day.
The councilor predicted that these buses will be well received and noted that they will be the first electric vehicles to circulate regularly in Gijón, marking a historic moment.
Regarding the qualitative leap for Emtusa, Barcia mentioned that even when Foro was in opposition, they supported leading by example.
He pointed out that many rules imposed by the Ministry always end up affecting citizens with prohibitions. In response, the local government insisted that the City Council and Emtusa should set an example first, and now they have done so.
«We have removed all kinds of parking restrictions, stickers, and everything, but at the same time, we have fulfilled our promise that the City Council will be the first to explain to citizens that having an electric vehicle is not only environmentally friendly but also economically beneficial,» he emphasized.
He mentioned that these buses are purchased with the goal that once they are amortized after the tenth year, if the price of fuel and electricity remains stable, they will be profitable for Emtusa.
Furthermore, he assured that Emtusa’s support for the government’s bus fare reduction will not impact the fleet renewal plan.
He explained that those subsidies go towards the fare. While there may be a slight decrease in passengers, the municipal contribution, which sustains Emtusa with 16.5 million euros, is budgeted and guaranteed by the Plenary Council.
Therefore, according to the councilor, Emtusa will not make any changes. He also reminded that the bus investment plan is no longer tied to the budget but to a loan, approved at the beginning of the term, ensuring that regardless of decisions in the Plenary Council or Congress of Deputies, the fleet plan will be executed precisely, purchasing the planned 46% of the fleet to be renewed.