BERLINER MORGENPOST
Berlin (ots)
So now it is becoming reality, the great freedom in buses and trains. The Deutschlandticket will finally be launched on Monday. The debates and preparations were complicated. But it was worth it: for 49 euros per month everyone can now use the entire range of local and regional transport from Flensburg to Garmisch and from Aachen to Frankfurt (Oder). The small-state nature of the transport associations is overcome. One country, one ticket: residents of neighboring states envy us for it.
The offer will make life easier for many millions of commuters, people looking for relaxation and vacationers. It’s not only good for the environment and the transport transition in this country. But also a practical answer to the rapidly increasing cost of living. A number of regular customers of the transport associations will be able to travel significantly cheaper with the Deutschlandticket than with their previous subscriptions – and with a significantly extended radius. Many consumers will carefully consider whether it is not worth leaving the car at home more often.
The traffic light government and the federal states deserve applause for the Deutschlandticket. They designed it together, they provide the money for it. Basically, it’s surprising that the coalition hasn’t been celebrating itself for weeks for this citizen-friendly project. Instead, they live out their differences in transport and environmental policy.
The outstanding success of the 9-euro ticket from last summer has made a follow-up solution almost imperative. Not everything is perfect yet, critics are right. For 49 euros per month you really get a lot. But 49 euros is a lot of money for a lot of people. There are no nationwide regulations for families, students or people with low incomes. Politicians urgently need to do something about it. But those involved know that.
At the same time, however, it is true that the cheapest and smartest ticket is of no use to consumers if it is not matched by an acceptable range of public transport. People in metropolitan areas with well-developed local and regional transport are the big winners of the Deutschlandticket. But if you live in rural areas, where a bus sometimes only trundles to the nearest town two or three times a day, you’re left with nothing.
Seen in this way, the Germany ticket is a fine thing. But it’s just one step in the great undertaking called the “traffic turnaround”. Germany wants and must become climate neutral by 2045. In the transport sector in particular, greenhouse gas emissions must be reduced radically. This will not be possible without a massive increase in the range of buses and trains – in cities as well as in rural areas.
Under the given circumstances, it is already difficult enough for federal states and municipalities to maintain the previous offer with rising costs. However, gigantic investments in the quality and quantity of the offer are necessary, which have to be consolidated over decades. Germany needs more and more modern buses, ideally with electric drives. More trams, subways, regional trains, barrier-free stations, park-and-ride facilities and more digitization are also necessary. Basically, work on improving local and regional transport in Germany has only just begun.
Press contact:
BERLINER MORGENPOST
Original content from: BERLINER MORGENPOST, transmitted by news aktuell
