Here are the new areas of Västtrafik – 70 will be 3 | Gothenburg after

The four subregional public transport boards of Västra Götaland had already supported the proposal and the decisive decision was taken on Tuesday by the regional council of the Västra Götaland region. Västtrafik's division of public transport is changing and more than 70 areas are now becoming 3.

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– There was only one regional council in the zones, which means that even the Social Democrats who had previously opposed the proposal had voted yes. I am very pleased that all parties support this proposal, "said Lars Holmin (M), chairman of the Västtrafik board of directors.

The Social Democrats have already criticized the fact that the 49 municipalities in the region have not had the opportunity to comment on the proposal. Most importantly, it was desired to retain the ability of municipalities to subsidize periodic maps of their residents.

"This is an absolute demand on our part, they have taken care of it and this has encouraged us to support the proposal," said Helén Eliasson, leader of the group of Social Democrats in the region.

Following an additional allocation of the Blue Green partnership, the left-wing party and the Social Democrats, it was decided to maintain the possibility of subsidization.

To make traveling easier

The reduction in the number of zones is intended to make it easier for travelers to cross municipal boundaries. Among other things, travelers should not "check" with their maps in different areas and easier to see what a trip costs. In connection with the new zone division, Västtrafik's ticketing system will also be simplified.

"We have gone from a huge number of tickets and zones to an easy-to-understand system, for both those who live here and those who have been here for a few days," said Lars Holmin.

READ MORE: One step closer to new public transport areas – as prices rise

Västtrafik will start working to introduce the new zones. These include the adaptation of technical systems, the training of drivers, service personnel and passenger information.

– The decision will now be discussed with all municipalities. That the decision was taken was the first step, the introduction is the second.

Prices in Gothenburg are high

But prices will also be adapted to the new structure of the area. GP previously wrote that the new zones would increase the prices of the maps in Gothenburg. But the price of new prices is not yet clear.

"This is based on a stage where we, as a region, pay a part with taxes and that travelers pay a lot.The price of the periodic map, at least in the Gothenburg region, will increase by a few tens, which is reasonable, because the area in which you travel will be much larger, "said Lars Holmin.

However, according to him, the price for the vast majority of the region will be cheaper if you travel in a larger geographical area.

At present, maps in the city of Gothenburg are subsidized to the tune of just over 150 million Swedish kroner per year.

"It is important that we tackle this problem, but it is also important to ensure that prices remain clear so that public transport is always a first option for short journeys." For the Social Democrats, it is important that The fit for the taxi means that you are constantly tracking the flow of movement and that prices remain low in urban areas, "said Helén Eliasson.

The decision on the amount of the tax will probably be taken at the same time as the introduction of the new zones in autumn 2020.