The agreement finalized between the Sant Cugat City Council and the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) allows the procedures for the acquisition of 27 new buses to begin. These vehicles, which will be electric and of different sizes (8, 10, and 12 meters), will renew almost the entire current fleet of 32 buses, which suffers from recurrent breakdowns and delays. The initial forecast for service entry in mid-2026 has been delayed, and they are now expected to circulate between late 2026 and early 2027.
“"With the new buses there will be fewer breakdowns and we will be able to provide a better service in terms of route, punctuality, and comfort."
This agreement ends an administrative conflict dating back to 2010, when the urban transport competence passed to the AMB, although the service in Sant Cugat expired in 2018 and the City Council has assumed the costs ever since. The pact includes the new tender for the service, managed by the AMB, within a maximum period of two years.
Regarding financial compensation, the AMB committed to paying the City Council 17 million euros for costs assumed from January 1, 2024, until the new contract is awarded. The City Council has already received the first payment of 9.3 million euros. The Deputy Mayor for Economy, Carles Brugarolas, highlighted the positive impact of this transfer on municipal accounts.
“"It is a very important step to improve mobility in Sant Cugat. For years we have suffered from an urban bus service that is not up to the needs of a municipality about to reach 100,000 inhabitants."
