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PS chairman Paul Magnette argues in Le Soir on Saturday to make public transport “completely free”. This also applies to the NMBS. According to Magnette, an “electric shock” is needed in the climate crisis. This goes hand in hand with large-scale investments and free public transport.
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Source: BELGIAN
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In Wallonia, the price of the subscriptions of public transport company TEC has been reduced by 70 percent. “A subscription of 1 euro per month per person is not a big obstacle. And it is an essential saving for the families,” says Magnette. “Yes, that comes at a cost: 100 million in Wallonia, 200 million in Brussels for the under-24s. Now we want to do the same for the over-65s.”
Free for young people and people over 65
Making the NMBS free would cost 700 million euros per year, or the amount that the rail company’s ticket sales represent. According to Magnette, that amount can be easily found. “The 0.15 percent tax on securities accounts brings in 500 million a year. By bringing it to 0.5 percent, we will have ample resources. And if we initially make the NMBS free for people under 24 and the over-65s, it will only cost 150 million.”
For the PS chairman, the measure must be part of the plan that specifically indicates how our country wants to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55 percent by 2030. The plan must be presented at the climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, from 10 to 12 November.
N-VA: “The only solution is liberalization and regionalization”
“A new day, a new expensive PS proposal,” says Tomas Roggeman, MP for N-VA, in a response. “But this kind of free policy will not change the major pain points of our rail transport. What we must do is thoroughly reform the railways, because what the population wants is better service, more punctuality and cheaper tickets. The only solution for this is the liberalization and regionalization of the railways.”
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