Local authorities have warned that the Council of Ministers will stop financial support for public transport early. They fear that many lines will be closed as a result. During the Corona crisis, the number of passengers decreased by about 50 percent, causing public transport companies to face financial problems.

In order to maintain the public transport network, transport companies have received emergency support from the Cabinet. Now that the government appears to want to stop this by the end of this year, they are sounding the alarm.

According to county officials, support is still urgently needed because public transportation is still not as popular as it was before the crisis. They expect it will take until 2026 before all travelers return.

“Either we add tens of millions a year to the maintenance of our network, or we cut up to 30 percent of public transport lines,” warns Arne Schadeli, Utrecht provincial deputy responsible for mobility. Radio NOS 1 News† According to him, the provinces do not have only such amounts.

The government is looking at other figures

In order to maintain the public transport network, transport companies have received emergency support from the Cabinet. In turn, some reductions had to be made by the carriers. Twelve county deputies write an opinion piece in trough They laid out a recovery plan for the next four years.

According to county officials, the support is also much needed after the new year because public transportation is still not as popular as it was before the crisis, and they expect it will take until 2026 before all travelers return.

The government is based on other figures, from the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy, which state that in the next year 97 percent of travelers will return to trains, buses, trams and metro.

Low entry, especially on public transportation

Shutting down communications can have particularly severe consequences for low-income people, who cannot easily get back in the car. “They really depend on public transportation,” Shadelli says. “And this is precisely the group of people who are most affected in every crisis.”

In addition, MPs warned that public transportation will become more important in the coming years. Because of the climate and nitrogen crisis, but also to combat the increasing congestion on the roads. That is why the provinces are asking the central government to “take responsibility”.