Szeged Transport Company (SZKT) is a key local public transport operator specializing in electric transport (tramway and trolleybus) in the city of Szeged, Hungary. SZKT operates 44 trams, 60 trolleybuses, and 10 diesel buses (the latter for replacement service) as well as infrastructure comprising 36 km of tram tracks, 37 km trolleybus catenary, 10 power substations, and 2 depots. Their trolleybus network includes numerous switches that facilitate route changes and terminus points.

In addition to its daily operations staff, SZKT has its own technical department specializing in capital reconstructions, as well as tram and trolleybus refurbishments and modernizations. The company also has an infrastructure department responsible for tram track and trolley catenary maintenance as well as its construction.

With a strong emphasis on extending their assets lifecycles and reducing waste as well decades of recycling practices both for infrastructure elements as well as vehicles, SZKT is actively engaged in innovative circular economy initiatives within the CE4CE Interreg Central Europe project. One of the company's primary objectives is to optimize the circulation of materials, equipment and components within their catenary system.

Addressing the Challenge of Infrastructure Longevity

Public transport infrastructure elements, such as trolleybus switches, experience varying degrees of wear and tear depending on their location and frequency of use. Some switches are subjected to as many as over 150-200 daily operations, which considerably reduces their operational lifespan. Conversely, some switches at termini or depots experience much lower usage. Recognizing this disparity, SZKT has developed a best practice for the reuse and reallocation of these worn out components to optimize their lifecycle.

Key Innovations and Pilot’s Scope

SZKT implements replacing most heavily used trolleybus switches at four critical locations in Szeged (Budapesti krt., Kereszttöltés utca, Rókusi krt., Csongrádi sgt.) with the new units, and relocating the worn-out ones to lower-intensity network areas, namely the trolleybus depot at Körtöltés utca for their extended use. The used switches will thus find a second life in less critical points at the trolleybus depot and replace outdated and less reliable older generation of switches there. This initiative is expected to as much as double the typical 15-20 year lifespan of these components, which would be otherwise scrapped from service.

Key aspects of the pilot include:

• Infrastructure Lifecycle Extension: Reusing heavily worn components in less demanding settings extends their service life and reduces the need for new materials.
• Environmental Impact: By maximizing resource utilization, SZKT significantly cuts down on infrastructure-related waste and the environmental footprint of public transport operations.
• Operational Reliability: Strategic replacement and relocation of switches ensure continued service reliability while minimizing disruptions.
• Technical Assessment: A comprehensive study will outline the reusability criteria and assess the benefits of this approach, serving as a reference for other cities and transport providers.

Implementation and Technical Considerations into the following phases:

• Preparation: Compilation of necessary materials and procurement of the new switches.
• Building Permit Coordination: Ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Procurement and Tendering: Material acquisition through SZKT’s established procurement process, aligned with EU grant conditions. The tender entails only the material purchase as the construction works are to be performed with the company’s own means by SZKT specialized catenary maintenance workers.
• Installation and Reallocation: Implementation of the replacement and reuse strategy, with monitoring mechanisms for long-term assessment.
• Evaluation: Continuous assessment of the reallocated switches’ performance, leveraging SZKT’s maintenance logs for data-driven insights.

Expected Outcomes and the solution’s transferability to other public transport operators

• Prolonged Trolleybus Switches Lifespan: The project aims to double the lifecycle of trolleybus switches, largely optimizing this resource use.
• Enhanced Service Safety and Reliability: Replacing worn-out switches and outdated equipment improves overall trolleybus system reliability. These improvements ensure smooth operation and enhance service safety across the entire network.
• Scalability to Other Cities:By aligning their assets lifecycle management strategies with the circular economy principles promoted within the CE4CE project framework Szeged solution will also provide a blueprint for other transport operators searching to adopt similar infrastructure reuse strategies.