Stendal Tackles 49 Euro Ticket Controversy: Districts Seek Support
After the 49-euro ticket on buses in Stendal district concluded, neighboring districts are pushing for financial aid to tackle continuing funding deficits. Without an agreement to cover the ongoing funding gap, the Altmarkkreis Salzwedel district shared its concerns with the nationwide use of the Deutschlandticket potentially being imperiled. A final decision calls for permanent, full compensation from the federal and state governments based on revenue shortfalls due to the Deutschlandticket's introduction.
Regarding the withdrawal of the Stendal district's ticket, Saxony-Anhalt's Ministry of Infrastructure considered this as an isolated incident, with no anticipation of other districts following suit. They emphasized that this decision would primarily impact Stendal residents, solely affecting the utilization of local bus routes. The exception being all rail services which remained unaffected.
Meanwhile, other districts in Saxony-Anhalt face challenges related to the continuation of the ticket. Reviewing ongoing dialogues between the Landkreistag, all districts take part in insurance arrangements, safeguarding them until the conclusion of April 2024. However, they find it challenging to shoulder additional expenses. The districts also encounter technical hurdles in specific areas where many districts issue tickets for school pupils.
The district of Wittenberg announced a transition period ending by year's end. Since no unified electronic standard exists, it's uncertain if all 5,000 pupils with corresponding school tickets possess their own smartphones. Their spokesperson expressed hope that a uniform solution would emerge to resolve this public transportation chaos during the year.
The German County Association encouraged the federal states to guarantee the legal certainty for the Deutschlandticket, claiming that the resolution taken by district councils was valid. They urge the states to obligate districts and cities to utilize the Deutschlandticket, subsequently assuming responsibility for its financing. According to Sager, municipalities would terminate the ticket or reduce public transportation services if the financial burden persisted.
Concerns over the 49-euro ticket controversy further intensified with the Stendal County Council issuing a press release.
Enrichment insights:
Funding and technical challenges prompted concerns about the Deutschlandticket's survival past 2025. The federal government and states currently contribute more than €3 billion annually, yet the industry incurred losses in excess of this amount. Additionally, fraudulent ticketing activities from D-Ticket.su led to invalid Deutschlandtickets and passenger fines. Authorities implemented new security measures and called for long-term funding solutions to ensure the Deutschlandticket's sustainability.
