Yesterday we started our short toll cycle. The elimination of tolls was what many have been waiting for and are still waiting for. However, as it usually happens in life - a stick always has two ends. This is also the case here, on the one hand, the lack of fees will please drivers traveling on Norwegian roads, on the other hand, these changes will affect public transport users - here, unfortunately, we will pay more for tickets. What is the situation like? What can we expect?
Elimination of tolls - we will pay more for the ticket ...
Due to changes in fares, ticket prices must increase by 25 percent. How will it work in practice? If the prices of all types of tickets are increased equally, the price of a 30-day ticket will increase from CZK 750 to CZK 940.
Expert's eye - what will change?
“The increase in ticket prices directly results in an 8 percent reduction in the number of journeys made by public transport, resulting in a further loss of revenue. Taking other factors into account, the simulation shows that you can expect 13 percent fewer journeys made by public transport - assuming the revenue from tickets is intended to cover the entire loss of revenue.”- Bård Nordheim, CEO of Urbanet Analysis for Nattevisen.
- Does this mean that if we raise the ticket price by 25 percent, income will only increase by a little more than half due to reduced demand and that prices have to be increased further to compensate for the loss of income?
"Yes, that's right. To compensate for the loss of revenue, there must be a 35-45 percent increase in fares, which will give us a monthly ticket price of between 1.000 and 1.100 SEK, says Norheim, stressing that such a large increase in ticket prices also increases the uncertainty of the model's forecasts. "- Bård Nordheim, CEO at Urbanet Analysis for Nattevisen.
Elimination of road tolls - there are voices of opposition ...
Opponents of giving up road tolls can cause quite a bit of chaos. Councilor Lan Marie Berg (MDG) from Oslo says:
“Removing road tolls is extremely socially unfair and will destroy many of the positive changes we are seeing in Oslo in recent years. This will result in a more expensive deal public transport for most people, increasing road traffic and increasing air pollution. Important public projects such as new trams, the new Fornebubanen railway and investments in the existing metro will be stopped.”
And you? What do you think about the new idea? We refer to our previous text on this topic: No tolls - more expensive public transport.
