EIB extends EUR 100 m to Austira’s Graz City to upgrade transportation, reduce GHG

05 / 11 / 2019

By Marwa Nassar - -

The European Investment Bank (EIB) is lending EUR 100 million to the City of Graz to upgrade urban rail and bus transport network in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Part of the loan will also be invested in the renewal of the tram and bus fleet. The EU bank and the City of Graz have already been working closely together for several years.

The loan signed by the Mayor of Graz Siegfried Nagl and EU Vice-President Andrew McDowell is the third contract between the two partners since 2013.

Andrew McDowell, who is responsible for the EU bank’s operations in Austria, said: “With this third loan, the City of Graz intends to push ahead with the upgrading and expansion of its tramway infrastructure.”

The money will also be used to purchase new rolling stock. At the EU bank, we are convinced that a well-functioning urban rail and bus transport network can make a vital contribution to reducing the number of cars on the roads and in this way lower pollution and mitigate climate change.

Graz Finance Councillor Günter Riegler added: “The EIB is a reliable partner for such important investments in infrastructure for essential public services in Graz. With the financial package that has now been provided, we can undertake major investments in public transport on a secure long-term basis.”