The government in Rome has committed to funding the construction of a funicular linking Scena/Schenna to the city centre and to expand bus services in the surrounding area.
Improved mobility in and around Merano/Meran, with an emphasis on sustainability: That is the aim of a new project to construct a cable-railway system between the centre of the spa town and Scena/Schenna while also expanding bus services in the catchment areas of Merano/Meran, Scena/Schenna and Tirolo/Dorf Tirol. The new funicular will depart from the Karl Wolf car park in central Merano/Meran.
Green lights for planning details
On 12 December 2022, the Ministry of Infrastructure in Rome approved the funding, which will be derived from the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The project will be co-financed with a total EUR 37.5 million. South Tyrol Minister for Mobility Daniel Alfreider was pleased with the news: “The commitment from Rome is an important step forward, allowing us to continue planning.” Now, he explained, it was time to get working on the details together with the three municipalities involved. All affected landowners would be consulted immediately, Alfreider added.
Fewer cars and less pollution
The new mobility solution for Merano/Meran and its surroundings is expected bring a number of benefits: It has the potential to reduce traffic caused by private vehicles by 26% and public-transport travel times by 10%. In addition, carbon dioxide emissions can be lowered by 1400 tonnes per year. In total, the use of public transport would increase from 22% to 42%. According to expert calculations, the funicular is estimated to transport 6,700 passengers every day, while the extended bus lines are expected to carry 9,000 people per day. (LPA)