Consumer Protection Agency withholds 23 trams from circulation in Bucharest

Romania’s Consumer Protection Agency, or ANPC, decided on Thursday, March 20, to stop 23 trams from going on route due to multiple irregularities. Among the issues discovered were the lack of hygiene in the means of transport, damaged bellows that could affect passenger safety, torn seat upholstery, and broken windshields.

The Dudești, Giurgiului, Alexandria, Militari, Colentina, and Victoria tram depots in Bucharest were checked as part of the inspections.

Other issues identified during the inspections included: water infiltration inside the trams; worn or broken seals that could compromise the vehicle’s airtightness; uncleaned radiators, potentially affecting indoor air quality; broken windshields, endangering traffic safety; and non-compliant flooring with cigarette butts and discarded packaging.

Additionally, an inspection was carried out at the public transport company in the city of Constanța, CT Bus, where several irregularities were found, including dirty seats and uncleaned platforms for boarding and disembarking passengers with disabilities. According to the inspectors, the cleaning of the buses was performed superficially.

In reply, Bucharest mayor Nicusor Dan told RFI that the problems are due to the lack of funding. "If they also brought the money to replace those seat upholsteries, we could solve the problem. In the meantime, you can't just stop them—if we wanted perfect transport conditions, it would mean operating only the 100 new trams we purchased after the 1989 Revolution and retiring all the other 300 trams we currently use."

He stated that "of course, it's not normal to have trams from the 70s and 80s running in Bucharest, but as long as we don't yet have the money to replace them and are still waiting for European funds, we have to ensure public transportation."

Dan, currently an independent presidential candidate running to oppose the governing coalition’s candidate, publicly stated a number of times that the budget of the Bucharest General City Hall has been slashed in recent years by the government.

(Photo source: LCVA | Dreamstime.com)