Hungary's M1 motorway to be expanded to 3 lanes in both directions

Fleet expansion will continue in the coming years, rail passenger transport capacity will increase from 130,000 to 160,000, timetable adherence will rise to 85-88%, and the average age of the bus fleet will fall to 8 years with new purchases, Minister of Construction and Transport János Lázár announced on Monday at a press briefing on transport issues in Budapest.

At a joint press conference with Zsolt Hegyi, the CEO of the MÁV-Volán Group, János Lázár noted that the largest locomotive replacement programme since the regime change is underway. The group is implementing this programme partly from its own resources and partly from a loan from a Hungarian banking group. A loan application for €1 billion submitted to the European Investment Bank (EIB) is currently under review, with a decision expected in September or October.

He also mentioned that

the widening of the M1 motorway to 2x3 lanes on a 60-kilometre stretch will begin in mid-September after a year of preparation. This HUF 800 billion investment project is expected to be completed by 2029.

János Lázár said that he had proposed to the Prime Minister and the Economy Ministry that local governments be permitted to deduct at least 20% of the solidarity tax they pay towards the development and maintenance of public roads. This would leave hundreds of billions of forints in the local area for this purpose.

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