Pricey gas eases traffic woes, but strains public transport
Rising gas prices have helped ease congestion in the Greek capital but are also putting a strain on public transportation as more people leave their cars at home.
According to official figures, Athens’ buses and trolley buses served 232,881 passengers last Wednesday, against 215,469 a week earlier and 174,907 on the same day on January 12. Likewise, the metro, electric railway and tram served 1.06 million passengers last Wednesday, 1 million a week before that and 818,614 on January 12.
“Commuting for work is less flexible so movement has been restricted for other things like shopping, entertainment and travel,” says Panagiotis Papantoniou, president of the Association of Greek Transportation Specialists.
The Regional Authority of Attica, meanwhile, has noted a significant decrease in congestion over the past two weeks in the city center, but also on Mesogeion and – to a lesser extent – Kifissos avenues.
