Author: Dallandyshe Xhaferri
The Eastern Terminal, which was promised to ease traffic between the cities of the South East and the capital, has highlighted long-standing concerns. Commuters complain about increased travel times, financial costs and coordination problems in the current transport system. Experts suggest improvements in public transport infrastructure, dedicated lanes for urban buses and consultation with transport operators.
It's Friday. The date is November 17, while the clock says six thirty in the afternoon. Dozens of passengers are waiting for the train at the station near the Bank of Albania. Many of them board the "Former Train Station-Zoo-TEG" line, one of the two lines, which for more than two weeks now have Tirana's East Terminal as their destination. The traffic and frequent stops, in addition to the nervousness of the passengers, who are almost corporeal with each other, are also accompanied by many concerns with the fear of not arriving in time to take the bus to the eastern cities. Urbani arrives at the terminal after 45 minutes. Passengers are directed to the buses that leave the terminal last, those of Elbasan.
Ana Duraku, a fifth-year student at the Faculty of Medicine, is one of the daily passengers of the Elbasan-Tirana buses. It signals to our platform that the many delays, as well as the fact that there are only two lines to the East Terminal, has become a daily problem for travelers coming from the cities of the Southeast to the capital.
"The overcrowding of urban buses that take passengers from the Eastern Terminal to Tirana and vice versa is a big problem ," says Duraku.
"Now I spend 1 hour to 1 hour and a half more time to go to school or even to take the bus that takes me back to Elbasan," says the student, who admits that there have been many cases when delays in urban lines that send passengers to the Eastern Terminal have cost them their stay in Tirana.
"There was also an extreme case where I waited from six twenty in the afternoon (18:20) at the station near the center of Tirana until ten minutes to eight (19:50) for the urban bus of the terminal line. That night I stayed in Tirana, because at eight o'clock (20:00) the last bus that takes passengers to Elbasan leaves the terminal," says Duraku.
Another student from Elbasan, Arben H., tells "Sinjalizo" that in addition to the time, the monetary cost of traveling to Tirana is now more expensive. "I have a season ticket, so I only pay 400 lek for the Elbasan-Tirana buses every day," says the student, who adds that if he did not have the season ticket, he would pay 480 lek, or 80 lek more per day.
Konstandin Foni, a member of the City Transport Association, tells "Sinjalizo" that the respective lines going to the Eastern terminal have changed the type of fleet.
"So, they have changed from a fleet of twelve-meter buses, to a fleet that is 18-meter buses that are articulated, to offer a service or to maintain a larger capacity of citizens, to offer a better, more comfortable service inside the bus," says Foni, according to whom the operators have a frequent frequency at the terminal and the increase in the number of passengers coming from the districts would force them to increase their fleet.
Arben H. says that despite the announcement that the urban buses will be able to provide the service every 10-15 minutes, there have been cases where there has been a lack of coordination between them. “One problem I have encountered is waiting for over 30 minutes for the urban bus, while three urban buses arrived at the same time.” According to the student, the lack of coordination is not the only problem with travel, but also with Tirana’s traffic, which has not been eased after the construction of the Eastern Terminal, although because even at the temporary terminal, buses from the East did not travel within the city of Tirana.
According to Kostandin Fon, what would improve public transport would be a lane dedicated only to Tirana's urban operators. This still remains an issue for which the City Transport Association and the operators have raised their voices, but no decision has yet been taken by the Municipality.
"Public transport infrastructure, the dedicated lane that public transport must have are a necessity," says Foni.
East Terminal, the promise dragged on for eight years
Since 2015, the company “Praslin Investment AL. Sh.A” has made an unsolicited proposal to the Municipality of Tirana for the construction of the Southeast Terminal near the entrance to the Tirana-Elbasan highway, in the eastern segment of the Tirana Ring Road. The description states that the project will be developed on a property with a total area of 20.000 m 2 offered by the investor. The duration of the concession, according to the proposal of this company, is 20 years.
There is no information on the winning company and the cost of building the terminal on the Tirana Municipality website. However, there have been repeated promises for the opening of the Eastern Terminal, neither from the Mayor, Erjon Veliaj, nor from the Prime Minister, Edi Rama. Although the terminal began its work this month, in 2015 Mayor Veliaj announced the construction of the Eastern Terminal, without disclosing the year of the start or completion of the works.
In July 2022, the mayor said that work would begin very soon on the terminal.
"Students and citizens, who travel from the east to Tirana and vice versa, will not wait for hours to take the bus. The Eastern Terminal of city and intercity buses in the capital is expected to be ready at the end of September."
Also, September was promised by Prime Minister Rama as the time when the terminal would open its doors. On January 18 of this year, in his appearance and publication on the official Facebook page, Veliaj said about the Southeast Terminal "The one in Lundra that will open these days is finished."
None of the Mayor's statements and promises have indicated how much the construction of the terminal cost, for which "Sinjalizo" has sent a request for information to the Municipality of Tirana. The Municipality's response states: "Regarding the above-mentioned letter for information on the Elbasan bus terminal at TEG, regarding how much the construction of the new terminal cost, we would like to clarify that this project was not and is not part of the budget of the Municipality of Tirana", without providing any information about the construction company of the Eastern Terminal.
Kostandin Foni, a member of the City Transport Association, tells "Sinjalizo" that there was no consultation with operators or transport associations for the construction of the East Terminal.
"No consultation was conducted, nor were public transport operators or associations consulted, as this is a decision of the Mayor, of any type of municipality, who must build such terminals, on the entrance or exit axis of the city, whether in the east or west, north or south," says Foni.
New terminals, old problems
Various problems have accompanied public transport passengers over the years. According to a study conducted by researcher Edmond Çera in 2018, it turns out that the waiting time for the next bus varies according to the lines: from 3.3 minutes to 38.3 minutes on average. Also, the research results show that in the urban areas of Tirana "In about 8% of the observed cases, the buses of the service lines fail to serve all citizens due to load or overcrowding. It is noted that in about 39% of the cases the buses were loaded with passengers so much that it was difficult or impossible to move inside it or get off it", - the study states.
A year ago, "Sinjalizo" showed how during the summer months, temperatures in urban areas exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, while air conditioners did not turn on or their function was insufficient.
Edmond Çera says for "Sinjalizo" that the current fleet of Tirana's urban buses do not allow citizens to reach their destinations as quickly as possible, mainly problematic remains for passengers coming from the East Terminal.
"There are many elements in which the current bus fails in providing a pleasant and dignified journey. Cleanliness, how clean the air is, temperature and so on. There are many parameters that need to be improved, but the simplest thing that can be done to improve the situation, in my opinion, is the addition of buses", - concludes Çera.
This article was created based on input provided by individuals who have chosen to speak up. Share your story, empower others and be an agent for change. Visit the website: www.acqj.al/sinjalizo-dhe-ti/
