Bogotá Mayor, Claudia López, participated in the Latin American Mobility Congress convened by the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), a global network situated in Belgium present in over 100 countries around the world.
At the event, Mayor López has confirmed that the first line of the Metro is currently underway and that the construction of the second will be announced in the following week.
“The people have spoken and have given us the mandate to upgrade Bogotá, not only a Metro line, but a regional Metro network that integrates the city with the surrounding metropolitan area (…) We are building the first Metro line and the second line will be announced alongside the President himself in the days to come. In the next 20 years, Bogota should count on five heavy urban Metro lines and at least two regional Metro lines,” stated Mayor Claudia López.
The mayor commented that the idea is for the city's public transport system to be electric, eco-friendly, sustainable and regional. In regards to the current bus system in Bogotá, Mayor Lopez said that "it has been improving and that this network should support, but not replace the current Metro network."
The mayor stressed that despite the pandemic and various economic difficulties, Bogotá today has the largest electric public transport system in Latin America. "We are locked in a healthy rivalry with Santiago de Chile, we’ve bought 1.485 buses in total and we will keep renewing them" she continued.
The mayor highlighted the boost given by Bogotá in favour of sustainable and alternative means of transport such as bicycles. "Bogotá is proud to be the bicycle capital of the world, we have 560 KM of bike-paths in our city and by the end of our administration, in 2023, we will have reached 800 KM."
The objective of this international congress is to promote the advantages of sustainable public transport not only to improve peoples’ outcomes and quality of life but also to contribute to the fulfilment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Founded 135 years ago, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is a global network that brings together any and all potential stakeholders interested in moving towards a sustainable and innovative public transport.
Alongside the Mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López was: José Luis Martínez-Almeida, Mayor of Madrid; Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, Mayor of Buenos Aires and Pere Calvet Tordera, on behalf of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP).
The discussion topics centered around the impact of the pandemic on urban mobility and public transport; what measures can be adopted to face the new reality; and future projects to make a cohesive mobility system a catalyst for environmental sustainability and the well-being of its people.
