ARGUMENTS PRO STUB

1. Soundly financed

The light rail system StUB (a German acronym which translates to “City and Surroundings Railway”) will only be implemented if 90% of the eligible costs, including the rail tracks which run on existing roads, are government-funded. Discounting the subsidies, the city will invest 60 million Euro over a period of 10 years. This is money well-spent for the future of Erlangen. Important projects like the refurbishment of schools or the creation of new culture, arts, and community centres will not be affected by this, because investments in these projects have already been included in the city budget.

2. A modern public transport system for a modern city

The citizens of Erlangen want to be mobile, even without a car, and they want to get from one point to another quickly and efficiently. They desire to reach the many culture and leisure opportunities the metropolitan area offers. The StUB will serve as a supporting pillar for the existing public transport in Erlangen and as a continuation of the existing Nuremberg tramway. Travel times will be shortened; new and attractive connections will be created. Therefore, the StUB will be just one more step to modernize our city and to develop a public infrastructure which will be ready to efficiently handle an ever-increasing number of commuters.

3. Good for business

Companies based in Erlangen are facing global competition for top talent. The city and the region they are going to live in factor highly into the decision when today’s employees choose a new place of employment. Modern workers want quick and reliable transportation from their home to their place of work and they want to enjoy an attractive offer of culture and leisure facilities, that can be accessed easily and hassle-free. All of this can be achieved with the StUB.

4. Improved quality of life in Erlangen

Experiences gained from other German cities have shown the willingness of many people to exchange their cars for reliable railway transportation. The willingness to change mode of transportation is significantly lower if only bus services are offered; a finding numerous studies about the StUB have underscored. Fewer cars on the road will lead to decreased congestion, decreased emissions, decreased noise, and decreased pressure on parking. Every citizen in Erlangen will benefit from this – even those that remain dependant on their car.

5. A better public transport for everyone

The StUB directly benefits the 30,000 citizens who live, work or study in the direct commuting area along the route and who will, in the future, have access to an increasingly attractive public transport system. But even citizens who live in districts which are not directly connected to the StUB will benefit: The StUB creates important infrastructure for public transport. In connection with further optimization of bus lanes along the StUB, all users of public transport will thus be able to get quickly into the city centrer to the university, and to the locations of major corporations in the region. Motorists can also expect less congestion along many main roads, e.g. the B4, the Herzogenauracher Damm or the Büchenbacher Damm (the later two being crossing links which connect the west of the city to the main settlement across the river valley of the “Regnitzgrund”).

Quick facts about the „StUB“

• The StUB will shift 10,000 trips from road to rail every single day and will thus help to improve the overall traffic situation.
• Supplemented with an optimised network of bus services, the StUB can shoulder an additional 15,000 trips per day, which equals 20% of all daily traffic.
• The total investment by the City of Erlangen would amount to 6.35 Euro per citizen per month over a period of 10 years.
• Running costs will amount to under 3 Euros per citizen per month.
• Operational costs for the StUB will be significantly lower than running costs for a bus network of comparable capacity.
• A tramway will conserve over 2.5 metres of roadway compared to a BRT (bus rapid transit) system, thus leaving more space for cars, bike lanes, and greenery.