Public transport tickets are cheaper in Salzburg

The transport budget for 2019 will be increased from 19.5 million euros to 131.5 million euros. This represents "only" 4,6% of the total budget, but: What the transport consultant Stefan Schnöll (ÖVP) intends to do, is to significantly change the mobility in Salzburg. "We have never had a budget as targeted as this one, especially in public transport," promised Prime Minister Wilfried Haslauer.

With the change of schedule scheduled in December 2019, a brand new ticketing system will come into effect. Instead of 1539 euros, you only pay 595 euros for a valid card in the state of the annual network card. The 365 euros ticket for the city of Salzburg will also be valid in the surrounding municipalities of Bergheim, Elixhausen, Hallwang, Elsbethen, Anif, Grödig, Wals-Siezenheim and Freilbading. And: for all other districts, there will be an annual network card for 365 euros. A combined ticket for two districts will cost as much as a ticket for the inner mountain (Pinzgau, Pongau and Lungau) at 495 euros. For the beginning of December 2019, Schnöll has earmarked in his budget 500,000 euros, the following year five million euros.

"It's really a blow," says Schnoll, who knows that the offer in public transport must be so appealing that the new annual network cards are accepted. "Of course, we are hoping for a lot of demand," says Transport Landesrat.

Notably for this reason, the Nordspange is suspended with the Gitzentunnel and offers for buses and trains have been expanded. For the transport of buses and trains, the country currently spends 57.5 million euros. Most of this amount comes from bus transport (40 million euros), 12 million euros are transported by rail, 5.5 million euros to Pinzgauer Lokalbahn and Salzburger Lokalbahn.

Stefan Schnöll also wants to invest more money there, both in improving clock rates and in infrastructure. For example, the local train from Salzburg (S1) until the end of the legislature in 2023, with 30 million euro two-way, developed and compacted in a 15-minute cycle. Five million euros are already provided for in the 2019 budget. This offer is intended to comfort the commuters of the North Flachgau above the painted Gitzentunnel.

The S2 between Salzburg and Straßwalchen is also expanded: local traffic stands out from the current local traffic, which is missing for a 15-minute cycle, is a third route between Steindorf and Neumarkt. This should be completed by 2021. The share of the state budget amounts to just under 14 million, of which three million are planned for next year. On the S3 at Innergebirg is a compression of the evening clock, which will beat in 2019 with 110,000 euros to book. "In addition, we want to maintain the 30-minute cycle of the Pinzgauer Lokalbahn, introduced in Zell am See because of the Schmittentunnelsperre, which will cost us 350,000 euros per year, where we currently register 30% additional pbadengers," says Transport Landesrat .

Overall, Schnöll has increased its budget for public transport from 51.4 million euros to 63 million euros by 2019. It also notes the country's participation in the planning company of the Metropolitan Regional Railways. . The country will contribute a total of 1.2 million euros, including 350,000 from the 2019 budget. Schnöll wants the policy to have more to say in terms of traffic planning. This is particularly true for the state capital, which has de facto outsourced its traffic planning to Salzburg AG. "That does not make sense and that's why we need structural reform, which can be a participation of urban policy in the public transport network, but it can also be a refoundation of a new company, "said Schnöll.

Schnöll is another center of interest with the almost doubling of the roadside renovation pot gone from nine to 17 million euros. The condition of some roads is so bad that "we can not ignore it anymore." Currently, we are working on a priority list.

Other priorities in the budget

For nursing education An extra million euros is planned. In addition, the state is funding additional training courses for general practitioners in hospitals.

After retirement nursing and the increase in rates in retirement homes increases social budget spending (441 million euros) spent on mobile care in housing for the elderly from 40 million to 200 million euros. For the disabled, Sozialreferent Landeshauptmann-Stv. Heinrich Schellhorn (Greens) spent 109 million euros, or 45 million euros for the welfare of children and youth, without increasing the minimum income (46 million euros). From 48 to 25 million euros, the cost of basic services has been cut in half because the number of asylum seekers is falling.

144 million euros are available in the department of the provincial councilor Andrea Klambauer (Neos) for the promotion of housing. She also wants to fund an additional 700 places in the kindergarten and improve the working conditions of the educators. The scientific budget of their department was increased by 4.5 million euros, which tripled the expenditure devoted to development to 1 million euros.

The budget in a few words: Deposits of 2.85 billion euros are offset by payments of 2.87 billion euros. The difference of 19.9 million euros is covered by the cash balance, so the budget is balanced. At the same time, the debt must be reduced by 6.5 million euros. "The room for maneuver" has been created in recent years by the consequent reduction of debt, said financial secretary Landeshauptmann-Stellv. Christian Stoeckl. Only saving about 20 million euros in interest. In addition to good economic results, around 40 to 45 million euros would also be available.