Tallinn is preparing a bill that will abolish public transport fees. Local residents voted in favor of such a decision put forward by the city hall. If this happens, the Estonian capital will be the first to implement this idea on a similar scale.
The other day in Tallinn, a legitimate survey was held among the local population on the topic of switching to free public transport. A total of 68,059 people voted. Of these, 75.5% of people voted in favor of such an innovation, which should come into force in 2013.
The transition to free travel is due to the need to improve the transport infrastructure of the city - to eliminate annoying traffic jams, reduce the number of road accidents and keep the roads in good condition. In addition, such an innovative solution will help low-income families, and over time, will improve the ecology of the city.
The authorities estimate that a family of four using free public transport can save about 600 euros a year. With this money, you can buy many useful things. True, only residents of the capital will be able to travel without tickets in public transport, while the rest will still have to pay for the right to travel.
The bill on the transition to free transport will be presented to the City Assembly in September. In the meantime, free buses, trolleybuses and trams will carry residents of Tallinn on weekends as an experiment. Today, more than 100 thousand people use public transport in Tallinn, of which 76 thousand use travel cards.
However, not all local residents agree with this decision. Some people think that using public transport should be not only free, but also comfortable. And the last condition can hardly be feasible with a large crowd of people on buses and trolleybuses.
A similar idea has already been implemented in 36 cities in different countries, where a small number of people live. And, as practice shows, the standard of living in them has only become better - the number of residents has increased, the economy has improved. If this bill comes into force, Tallinn will become the first city to switch to free public transport on this scale.
