Traffic
Traffic light politicians warn against blocking the 9-euro ticket
A 9 euro ticket from Verkehrs- und Tarifverbund Stuttgart GmbH (VVS) on a display of a smartphone. Photo: Marijan Murat/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
Isn’t the 9-euro monthly ticket coming? In the dispute over funding, some states are threatening rejection in the Bundesrat. The federal government warns of failure.
In the dispute over the financing of the planned 9-euro monthly ticket, transport politicians in the traffic light coalition have opposed blockade threats from the federal states.
“By increasing the regionalization funds, the states will be able to implement this project,” said the FDP traffic expert Bernd Reuther of the German Press Agency. “Therefore there is no reason for the discounted ticket to fail in the Federal Council.”
“Failure would damage public transport”
The transport policy spokeswoman for the SPD, Dorothee Martin, said in Berlin that many people were looking forward to the ticket. It is a positive signal for local public transport and also a great joint effort for the federal states and the transport companies. “Failure would not only be counterproductive, it would damage public transport,” she said. One is already in a general quality and future debate for public transport.
The Greens traffic expert Stefan Gelbhaar told the dpa that there was a need for a broader range of public transport. In the coalition agreement, an increase in regionalization funds was agreed, as was an improvement in standards in public transport.
Nationwide journeys in local and regional transport
In June, July and August, the special tickets are intended to enable travel in local and regional transport throughout Germany – for 9 euros a month each, which is much cheaper than normal monthly tickets. This is part of the coalition’s relief package for high energy prices.
The federal government is financing the offer by providing 2.5 billion euros to compensate for loss of income. In addition, the financing law, which the Bundestag and Bundesrat are to adopt this week, provides for a further 1.2 billion euros to compensate for corona-related losses. The federal states want the federal government to significantly increase the regionalization funds with which they and the associations order transport services from the providers. Some countries had threatened rejection in the Bundesrat at the weekend.