Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Transport companies have been supported with 41 million euros so far

The federal and state governments are protecting public transport in Germany from the consequences of the pandemic with a rescue package.

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: Transport companies have been supported with 41 million euros so far

The federal and state governments are protecting public transport in Germany from the consequences of the pandemic with a rescue package. Due to the 9-euro ticket, the transfer payments will be even higher this year.

Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The transport companies in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania have already received around 41 million euros from the rescue package set up by the federal and state governments in the current year. "Of this, companies in local rail passenger transport (SPNV) account for around 22 million euros and companies in other local public transport (ÖPNV) for 19 million euros," said the Ministry of Economics in Schwerin. This is intended to compensate for both revenue losses as a result of the corona pandemic and those caused by the 9-euro ticket.

In 2021 as a whole, the amounts paid out from the public transport rescue package were just over 38 million euros. While the pandemic subsidies are borne equally by the federal and state governments, the federal level alone pays for the 9-euro ticket, according to the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

Despite the aid payments for the current year, the Association of German Transport Companies (VDV) expects transport companies in Germany to be increasingly burdened by the high energy, material and personnel costs. So far, the industry has benefited from longer-term contracts for energy and fuels, but these too would have to be gradually renewed at current market prices, according to a spokesman for the association. If the offer in public transport is to remain stable despite the increased costs, there will be a nationwide deficit of 750 million euros for companies in the current year.

But regardless of the consequences of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine, the public transport rescue package is covering an ever smaller proportion of actual needs, said the VDV. Since the grants are paid on the basis of income in 2019, the usual tariff adjustments - as a result of inflation or salary increases - are left out.