One of those who take the bus in Bodø is Caterina Jacobsen. She believes the prices should have been lower. – If I have to take the children back and forth to the city, it can be quite expensive, she says. Jacobsen also believes that today’s price makes it more difficult to choose the bus over a car. She herself takes the bus a couple of times a week, but her New Year’s resolution is to get her driving licence. – You want to do the right thing, take the bus and think about the environment. But the prices may mean that it is not always applicable. Caterina Jacobsen says it quickly becomes expensive when she has to take the children into town. Soon she drives up to the car. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news Today you have to pay somewhere between NOK 39 and 44 for a single ticket in one zone. The monthly tickets are around 800. In several cities, they also have more flexible solutions such as a 24-hour ticket or a 90-day ticket. In addition, the price has grown in recent years, in fact a good deal more than the rise in prices elsewhere in society. The yellow line (CPI) shows the general price increase in society. In comparison, it can be seen that “bus and taxi” together with “boat” have increased significantly more. The statistics do not distinguish between long-distance buses or city buses. Much more expensive than the price increase otherwise Group leader Håkon Møller at the county council in Nordland (MDG) says that the Statistics Norway figures show that we are going in the wrong direction. – The statistics show that the prices of public transport become more expensive every year. The price increase for public transport is increasing faster than the price development in society in general. It is not a desirable way to go. In Nordland, too, prices for public transport are increasing year by year. Møller does not buy the argument that rising prices make it necessary to raise prices. Group leader Håkon Møller in the Green Party believes that you are going in the wrong direction when monthly tickets for bus and parking cost roughly the same. Photo: Kåre Riibe Ramskjell / news As an example, a monthly bus pass in Bodø costs NOK 830. In comparison, a monthly ticket for parking in zone 2 in the city center costs NOK 867. Although car ownership tends to result in more expenses than this compared to the bus, the county politician believes that it is not enough to choose public transport. – The price means that the bus is not a competitive alternative to the car as of now. We believe there is every possible reason to look more closely at the prices of monthly passes, but also come up with new ticket solutions and other types of period passes. This is the price for traveling by bus in the biggest cities: Researchers critical of high single ticket prices Research leader Askill Halse in the Institute of Transport Economics says that the Statistics Norway figures include several types of bus, both local and express departures. – I would probably like to think that the price increase has not been as great within local public transport, where some have invested in keeping the price increase low, he says. Nevertheless, they are critical that the prices of single tickets are high compared to period tickets. – In some cities, the price of single tickets increased more over time than monthly tickets. It is something we are a little critical of. For those who travel only occasionally, this constitutes a rather large barrier to traveling by public transport. Reacting to prices elsewhere in the country In Rogaland, the price of 24-hour tickets was reduced a while ago. Until New Year, you could travel as much as you wanted by train, bus and boat for NOK 60 a day. – I used it very often, I have several friends here in Stavanger. It is very disappointing that it has become more expensive. I think it is very expensive, says Henning Pedersen. Many made use of the ticket, but from New Year it increased by 40 per cent. The ticket had Bus passenger Henning Pedersen is disappointed that the low-priced 24-hour offer in Stavanger was first reduced, and then increased again. Photo: Arild Eskeland / news has simply become too cheap, and popular. Pedersen says that he himself has used the ticket around 4 times a month. With the latest price increase, he thinks more people will choose a car over a bus. – When prices rise so much otherwise, there is no reason why public transport should become more expensive now. 24-hour ticket was too cheap for the county Back in Stavanger, says group leader Heidi Bjerga at the county council in Rogaland (SV) who agrees with the statements from the travelers who now have to pay 40 per cent more for a 24-hour ticket. She believes that more people chose to travel after the price was lowered, is the opposite of a problem. – A year ago, 2 per cent bought this ticket. Now it is 16–17 percent. It is not a problem that people choose to buy a ticket for NOK 60. Leader of the transport committee in Rogaland, Ole Ueland (H) believes the price increase was necessary. – Did it simply become too popular? – We saw that even though passenger numbers are rising steadily, the income fell quite sharply. It suggests that this ticket was too affordable and meant that less of the other tickets were sold. He understands that travelers react to the price, as it has been a good and favorable product. Nevertheless, he says that if they had continued with the same price, it would have exceeded the route offer. – The alternative for us was to cut several bus departures. To maintain a good offer, we also need a certain income. Nordland county: – Considering more flexible tickets Nordland county council writes in an e-mail to news that they are experiencing a significant increase in costs due to high fuel and electricity prices. This involves, among other things, a cost increase from NOK 42 in 2022 to NOK 44 per single ticket in one zone in 2023. – For our contracts within the transport area, this has meant a price increase of between 14 and 30 per cent. The price increase on tickets of 3.7 per cent only corresponds to the general price increase in society, says county councilor Monika Sande. She further says that the county council is not left with extra income due to the price increase. On the contrary, ticket prices increase less than the costs the county council has for the services, she says. – In addition, I can inform you that we are planning other ticket solutions that will make it more attractive to travel by bus, such as 24-hour tickets, three-day and seven-day tickets. Today, the only option is a single ticket or a monthly pass. For a student, this will entail greater flexibility than is currently possible.
ttn-69
Reacts to expensive bus prices – monthly pass as expensive as parking – news Nordland
