 |
| Private cars are the most used means of transport in Luxembourg, but the government is hoping to change that with the new free ride policy (AFP Photo/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN) |
Luxembourg (AFP) - Luxembourg on Saturday became the first country in the world to offer free public transport, as the small and wealthy EU country tries to help less-well-off workers and reduce road traffic.
Some cities
elsewhere have already taken similar, partial measures. But the transport
ministry said it was the first time such a decision covered an entire country.
The free
transport, flagged as "an important social measure", affects
approximately 40 percent of households and is estimated to save each one around
100 euros ($110) per year.
Not all
passengers were aware of the change, which was brought forward one day ahead of
schedule.
"It's
free? I didn't know," said a woman in her 50s who gave her first name as
Dominique as she waited at Luxembourg's main train station.
Transport
workers were concerned about what impact the measure would have on their job
security.
"We
don't yet know" what will happen to their positions, said one ticket
seller at the station who declined to give his name.
"All
the public transport workers are worried. It's not yet clear."
Traffic
woes
The measure
is part of a plan intended to reduce congestion.
Private
cars are the most used means of transport in the Grand Duchy, accounting for 47
percent of business travel and 71 percent of leisure transport.
 |
| Luxembourg has invested in its public transport network, but commuters complain it is still patchy (AFP Photo/JEAN-CHRISTOPHE VERHAEGEN) |
With more
than 200,000 people living in neighbouring France, Germany and Belgium who work
in Luxembourg and most of them driving in, that makes for major traffic jams at
peak hours.
The
population of the tiny country is just 610,000 and those cross-border workers
account for half the total employees.
The capital
city of Luxembourg has invested in its public transport network, notably by
building a tram network, but commuters complain it is still patchy.
It will be
some years before the network links to the northern airport, for instance.
"There's
been an enormous delay to the development of public transport," said
Blanche Weber, head of the Luxembourg Ecological Movement pressing for better
links on environmental grounds.
"Systematic
and continuous investment is a sine qua non (essential) condition for promoting
the attractiveness of public transport," admitted transport minister
Francois Bausch.
Sales of
tickets on the domestic network -- which cost two euros per journey --
previously covered just eight percent of the 500-million-euro cost of running
the transport system. That shortfall will now be met from the treasury.
Ticket
machines are to be gradually removed from stations, but offices selling tickets
for international train trips and for first-class seating in Luxembourg --
which continues to be a paying service -- will remain.
No comments:
Post a Comment