Germany can make municipal transport free

In Germany, an initiative to abolish public transport fare is being considered — local authorities consider such a step justified in the framework of programs to improve the environmental situation in the country. It is expected that this will allow several times to reduce the number of private cars on German roads, which will have a positive effect on air quality, especially in large cities.

Reducing the amount of harmful emissions by both industrial enterprises and cars from Germany and another eight countries of the European Union is required by a special EU commission monitoring the ecological situation in Europe.

If this decision is made, for citizens and guests of Germany the passage in trams, buses and metro will become completely free. As a pilot project, the introduction of free buses is scheduled for the end of 2018 in several cities in the western part of Germany, including Bonn, Essen and Mannheim.

It should be noted that the municipal authorities of the cities included in the pilot project did not appreciate this decision of the Federal Government, since the cancellation of fare will create a significant burden on local budgets, and will entail the need to update and expand the fleet, purchase new cars, expand the route network and creating new jobs.

In recent years, there has been a growing trend in the popularity of public transport among residents of Germany — many prefer to buy tickets for buses and trams using personal vehicles, and against the background of this innovation, the number of public transport passengers can double.