Kaufering - The market town has developed a new concept for local bus transport after consulting with Florian Köhler, the local transport expert at Landsberg's district office, and the bus operator Klaus Schneider: with only one local bus on route 92, a modified route and a new one Bus platform to be built on the south side of the station. The municipal council has now decided on a trial run for a total of four years.
“Our plans have been going in this direction for a long time,” said Kaufering's building authority manager Andreas Giampa in the introduction. Namely, to reduce the two buses currently in use in Kaufering to just one vehicle. That makes sense because it saves costs, explained public transport coordinator Köhler. Because it was no longer possible to cover costs with two vehicles. The consequence: a deficit of currently around 100,000 euros per year. "A solution had to be found."
The line is to be divided into three parts: in the morning it runs towards the train station every 20 minutes, depending on the increased demand from commuters. Then from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. it changes into a 'supply traffic' line, drives every hour to important stations such as the cemetery, retirement home or the shopping centers on Kolpingstrasse, to end again at the train station and from here in the afternoon as a 'pick-up' mainly to transport the commuters from the train station into the town. In the afternoon there are two routes every 20 and 40 minutes, respectively, explained Köhler, a "fast variant" and an extended route that includes the village (Alt-Kaufering).
But structural measures are also planned, according to Giampa: the construction of a 32-meter-long bus platform on the south side of the station to relieve the station forecourt, as well as the conversion of the bicycle parking facilities in the area of the three to four parking boxes that are no longer required.
In addition, a ramp for disabled access can be built on one side of the stairs.
The more detailed projects in the area around the station are first dealt with separately in the planning committee, then in the municipal council.
Despite a few additional kilometers, the route will be a maximum of two to three minutes longer in terms of travel time, said Köhler.
Nevertheless, this structural change has "charm", since another stop can be reached on Iglinger Straße.
In addition, the bus would run continuously from four in the morning until 8 in the evening, emphasized Köhler. The timetable is geared to the respective needs - be it the commuters or people who have to run errands. With the new concept (a bus, different route and platform on the south side), savings of between 30,000 and 80,000 euros per year have also been calculated.
It was more of a train station line, said Claudia Dahme (UBV). Local bus is the wrong name per se. She suggested building more stops in relevant places (cinema, swimming pool) so that the bus would also be interesting for younger people. For Jürgen Strickstrock (the Greens), the line is even "meaningless". It's about saving money instead of time. "Before everything is thrown overboard here: We're talking about a trial run," said Köhler. This was finally decided by a majority for a total of four years - and will come into force with the timetable change on December 1 of this year.
