MINISTRY OF INFRASTRUCTURES TRANSPORT & NETWORKS
PRESS OFFICE
PRESS RELEASE
The progress of the ATHENS METRO projects was the subject of the working session, which was held today at noon inATTIKO METRO S.A. premises and chaired by Mr. Dimitris Reppas, Minister of Infrastructures, Transport and Networks. Deputy Minister Yiannis Magriotis, the Secretary General of Public Works Yiannis Economidis, as well as the ATTIKO METRO S.A. Management participated in the subject working session, in which issues related to the METRO Projects under construction, the Extensions of the Metro Lines 2 and 3 and the completion of the design, planning and scheduling of the new Line 4 were discussed.
Mr. Reppas made the following statements, namely:
“A few days ago, a similar working session was held in the city of Thessaloniki with the authorities concerned about the development of the Operation Plan for Infrastructures and Transport in Thessaloniki. We also had a detailed discussionabout the progress / evolution of the Metro construction activities in Thessaloniki”.
The issues we discussed today with ATTIKO METRO Management involved Metro related matters, the extension of the existing lines, as well as the alignment and construction of new Metro lines in Athens. The work that has been accomplished during these months depicts the new philosophy that governs the way the State and its Societe Anonymesare operating and the way this operation becomes reality. To be more precise: In the past, we sought financial commitments without having ensured the respective maturity and preparedness for utilizing these resources. As a consequence, these resources were often lost and the projects were not constructed. Now, it seems that we are accomplishing the objective we set right from the beginning, i.e. to plan, design and to attain at a fast pace the necessary maturity and preparedness to be able to utilize the available resources. This is ATTIKO METRO’s case.
You already know that AGHIA PARASKEVI Station will be commissioned in December. As to the remaining Extensions, in which we are faced with signalling problems, we will soon revert to the issue in more details. Nevertheless, our decisions will be made to the benefit and support of the Project, taking into consideration the public interest and the proper utilization of all legal means available to us for the Project to be accomplished.
The Project of Line 4 is of primary importance; it seems that the way Line 4 has been designed did not respond to the overall social needs that a Metro network has to serve in such a densely populated area in the Athens center. Line 4 will be aligned anew, for the Metro system to serve better these central areas. The advanced concept design for this line from Alsos Veikou to Evangelismos, along with the extension we foresee to Vyronas and Ymittos, already exists. More specifically, this advanced concept design is about to be completed, so that at the beginning of 2011, we can proceed to the tendering of the final design and in 2012 we can proceed to the tendering of the project construction, at least as regards its first phase, i.e. its section from Alsos Veikou to Evangelismos.
Based on the re-design effected by Attiko Metro, Line 4 Project incorporates three extensions. These extensions are considered to be of outmost importance. The first one concerns the section to Vyronas, Ymittos and Ilioupolis boundaries; the second extension is the one that brings the Metro system to Perissos from Alsos Veikou and the third one extends from Maroussi to Lykovryssi, the National Road. This Line will be 33-km long in total and its construction cost is estimated to reach the amount of EURO 3.3 billion. Based on the last updated planning, this Line shall include 29 Stations that will be served by completely driverless train sets. The entire Metro system shall use state-of-the-art technology and our duty is to proceed the soonest possible with the construction of the first section from Alsos Veikou to Evangelismos.
The advanced concept design is about to be completed by Attiko Metro and very soon, having completed our contacts withthe European Investment Bank about the funding of the Project, we will be in the position to announce our conclusions ordecisions. The estimated funding for the first section of Line 4, from Alsos Veikou to Evangelismos, amounts to EURO 1 billion.
The European Investment Bank funds 50% of such plans. Since the Operation Plan of Accessibility Improvement is a competitive one, we have the option to utilize available resources from the entire plan and other programs as well and, thus, finance the construction of the Project.
My intention is to be honest with you. We have discussed all these matters and we are in the position to make detailed announcements but we will not do that today. This was a working session and not a meeting for us to make detailed announcements, due to the fact that we are just a few days before the elections. We will revert to all these issues in detail, presenting information about the time schedule, the funding and the physical scope of works before the end of the year. I wish to congratulate ATTIKO METRO for the work it has accomplished and to stress that there are companies in Greece which really operate in a most productive and effective manner producing work that responds to the existing needs of the society”.
When asked about the Metro Extension to Piraeus, the Minister responded as follows:
“With regard to the Extension to Piraeus, we are ready and I believe that, in line with the time schedules set –on condition we solve the signaling related problem – we will implement it. We will be absolutely consistent with ourstatements. I will say no more, since there is an appeal still pending. We are in contact with the European Union that will finally indicate the correct actions to be taken as far as legal matters are concerned. However, since the necessarypreparations have already been made, I am certain that we will be consistent as to our initial scheduling”.
ATTIKO METRO S.A.
4/11/2010
Scheduling of Attiko Metro S.A. new projects
Today, a working session was held in ATTIKO METRO S.A. premises between the political leadership of the Ministry of Infrastructures, Transport and Networks, Messrs. Dimitris Reppas, Yiannis Mangriotis and Yiannis Economidis, and ATTIKO METRO S.A. Management, concerning the ATHENS METRO Projects.
Upon completion of the session, the Chairman of ATTIKO METRO S.A. Board of Directors, Mr. Christos Tsitouras made the following statements:
“The basic priority in the philosophy governing the operation of ATTIKO METRO S.A. is to ensure complete maturity during the planning and design phases before proceeding to the stages of tendering and construction of the Metro projects, in order to avert all unpleasant entanglements that obstruct their implementation.
ATTIKO METRO S.A. will soon make a presentation about the new major projects (the most important being the projectinvolving Line 4, 33 km. long with 29 stations), in which detailed information will be given about their implementation.
It is worth mentioning that all new technologies will be applied to the new Line 4 of the Metro System with our basic concern being safety and improvement of the services provided to all Metro users.
This important change in the way of tendering the extensions of the Athens and Thessaloniki Metro will minimize all difficulties of the past that resulted in successive delays in the commissioning of the new Metro Stations.
The collective effort made by both the Management and the executives of ATTIKO METRO S.A. will result in buildingrelations with the citizens based on reliability and trust, and in implementing the new Metro Projects with safety and significantly improved commissioning dates.
