In the fierce dispute over the financing of local transport, the federal states are urgently warning of rising ticket prices in Germany from autumn. Because Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) had canceled promised financial aid of 1.5 billion euros for the industry, there was a risk of rising tariffs across the board, the transport ministers said on Thursday after a conference of the federal states. Ticket prices and clocks can only be maintained if federal money is still flowing, said Baden-Württemberg’s Transport Minister Winfried Hermann (Greens). Otherwise prices could “shoot through the roof”.
The dispute over finances overshadows the planned start of the largest discount campaign in local transport for decades. The nine-euro ticket, with which Germans can use local transport for three months nationwide and unlimited, should start as early as June according to current plans. It is intended to compensate for higher energy costs and should give Germans an incentive to switch from cars to local transport in the long term. But the dissatisfaction of the federal states with the austerity course of the federal government is growing across party lines.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Transport Minister Ina Brandes (CDU) spoke on Thursday of a “flash in the pan” instead of a “beacon” in view of the impending financial gap in public transport and the nine-euro ticket. Saarland Transport Minister Petra Berg (SPD) warned that the transport companies would “stand at the edge” after the end of the campaign. The chairwoman of the conference of state transport ministers, Bremen’s senator Maike Schaefer (Greens), warned that passengers cannot be given a taste for three months and then not maintain the quality and price. The government’s planned doubling of passengers for climate protection by 2030 is not possible under these circumstances.
The countries want more money – and refer to the coalition agreement
The states could soon intensify the dispute with the federal government and let the financial package burst in the Bundesrat in two weeks. However, that would endanger the punctual start of the nine-euro ticket. Because the funds for this project are also included in the package. Baden-Württemberg’s Transport Minister Hermann and Bremen’s Senator Schaefer made it clear that the federal states are now relying on the traffic light groups in Berlin. Hermann said a proposal had to be presented, which the Bundesrat “enthusiastically” agreed to. The federal states expect the federal government to increase its financial resources.
The dispute was triggered by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing. He is willing to bear the expected loss of income of 2.5 billion euros for the discount campaign. However, the federal states are demanding an additional 1.5 billion euros this year because of increased personnel and fuel costs and for the planned expansion of local transport. They refer to the coalition agreement, in which a corresponding increase is anchored. More money for more trains is also necessary in order to keep people connected to local transport after the three months have elapsed, explained the conference of transport ministers.
In principle, Wissing was open to more money, but demands more transparency in the expenditure of the federal states. He left open whether an increase in funds would be possible at all in view of the tight budget situation this year. The federal government is currently supporting the federal states with around ten billion euros a year for commuter trains, buses and trams.