Düsseldorf (dpa / lnw) - NRW Transport Minister Oliver Krischer has warned of cuts in bus and rail transport if the states have to contribute to the costs of a 9-euro ticket successor. "There is no leeway for the countries to carry half of a follow-up ticket - otherwise we are threatened with a reduction in local transport services from January to compensate for the additional costs," said the Green politician to the "Welt". The aim is to further expand the existing offer.
In this case, NRW alone would be burdened with several hundred million euros, said Krischer. The countries are already confronted with enormous cost increases and deficits in local public transport. The conference of transport ministers is calling for an increase in regionalization funds by three billion euros across all party lines.
In order to finance the ticket, the federal government must finally have the courage to reduce environmentally harmful subsidies such as the company car privilege, he demanded. Krischer believes that a 9-euro ticket cannot be financed in the long term. A nationwide public transport ticket for 49 or 69 euros would be "still incredibly cheap," he said.
Last week, the federal government agreed on a third relief package. Among other things, the traffic light coalition is aiming for a nationwide successor to the 9-euro ticket at a price of 49 to 69 euros a month. The federal government wants to subsidize 1.5 billion euros if the states pay at least as much.
Krischer described the agreement on a successor as "very positive news", but at the same time criticized the FDP, which is finance and transport ministers Christian Lindner and Volker Wissing: "I have the impression that they are resisting changes there," he said .
