Bus equipped with batteries approved for service in Marburg, following an agreement by RP Gießen.
In a significant move towards a greener future, the Regional Council in Gießen has given the green light for the construction of a battery overhead bus (BOB) system in Marburg. The plan approval decision for the BOB Marburg project was officially handed over by Regional Council President Dr. Christoph Ullrich to Marburg Mayor Dr. Thomas Spies.
The BOB Marburg project, which began planning in 2021, involves the conversion of bus lines 7 and 27 to an electric bus system where the bus's battery draws energy from an overhead line. The project includes the construction of a roughly 9.7-kilometer-long, two-lane, partial overhead line installation, and the installation of over 800 overhead line masts and eight rectifier substations.
The city council submitted the application for plan approval along with the relevant planning documents to the responsible regional council in autumn 2023. The plan approval decision was completed by the Gießen Regional Council less than two years later. The investment volume for the construction of the BOB Marburg infrastructure is approximately 45 million euros, with the federal government funding the project with around 1.8 million euros.
However, a recent development has cast a shadow over the project. The federal funding for the BOB Marburg project has been cancelled, making its implementation currently impossible. In response, Mayor Spies has proposed to wait for the renewal of the funding program within the special assets infrastructure fund at the federal level.
The BOB Marburg project is considered the most climate-friendly alternative for future operation of public transport up to the Lahn mountains. For updates on the project's development, residents can subscribe to the newsletter of the University City of Marburg or visit www.bob-our-website.
The first city council meeting after the summer break on August 29 will discuss the BOB Marburg project in detail. The responsibility for the financing contribution for the construction of the BOB Marburg lies with the federal government level within the special infrastructure funding fund, and a change in the financing plan is expected at the federal government level, but the exact timing is not specified in the available search results.
Stay tuned for more updates on the BOB Marburg project and Marburg's transition towards a more sustainable public transport system.
