▁around ▁ 4 0 ▁million ▁ann ually . ▁Pass enger ▁numbers ▁only ▁rose ▁with ▁the ▁expansion ▁of ▁the ▁network ▁from ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁regular ▁interval ▁operations ▁on ▁a ▁clock - face ▁schedule ▁and ▁attract ive ▁far es ▁and ▁a ▁greater ▁environmental ▁aw aren ess ▁among ▁the ▁people . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 6 , ▁the ▁VB K ' s ▁tr ams ▁carried ▁ 6 6 ▁million ▁passengers ▁and ▁the ▁city ' s ▁bus ▁carried ▁another ▁ten ▁million . ▁Now , ▁bus es ▁and ▁tr ams ▁carry ▁ 1 0 0 ▁million ▁passengers ▁ann ually . ▁ ▁The ▁present ▁situation ▁▁ ▁Since ▁the ▁mid - 1 9 9 0 s , ▁the ▁vehicle ▁fleet ▁has ▁been ▁renew ed ▁with ▁the ▁proc ure ment ▁of ▁low - floor ▁tr ams , ▁so ▁that ▁the ▁art ic ulated ▁tr ams ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁have ▁been ▁largely ▁taken ▁out ▁of ▁operations . ▁The ▁older ▁vehicles ▁are ▁still ▁in ▁use ▁only ▁on ▁tram ▁line ▁ 5 . ▁The ▁latest ▁enh anc ements ▁to ▁the ▁tram ▁network ▁are ▁the ▁tr aml ines ▁on ▁Bra uer straße ▁( 2 0 0 0 ), ▁to ▁the ▁European ▁School ▁( 2 0 0 0 ), ▁to ▁Wolf arts we ier ▁( 2 0 0 4 ) ▁and ▁to ▁Nord stadt ▁( 2 0 0 6 ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁another ▁dep ot ▁was ▁put ▁into ▁operation ▁in