Public transport users will have 50% discounts from September in the Basque Country

Euskaraz irakurri: Garraio publikoaren erabiltzaileek % 50eko deskontuak izango dituzte irailetik aurrera Euskadin

The Minister of Territorial Planning, Housing and Transport, Inaki Arriolahas pointed out that the Basque Government is committed toapply the 50% discount on all public transport, and has stressed that “there is political will” and that the operators are working on it. This decision comes after the new anti-crisis decree of the Executive of Pedro Sánchez to alleviate the economic consequences of the war in Ukraine.

This is how Arriola explained at a press conference after the Euskadi Transport Authority meeting, held this Thursday in Lakua, Vitoria-Gasteiz. The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Pedro Marco, and representatives of the Provincial Councils of the three Basque capitals and Eudel also participated in the plenary session to decide how to apply the decree recently approved by the Sanchez Government in the Basque Country. among other measures, the discount applied to public transport.

“We are in favor of Basque society benefiting from this aid,” he pointed out. Thus, according to the counselor, the administrations “have shown our willingness to request the measure. We have agreed to initiate the regulatory processes to articulate this aid to the Spanish Government,” he stressed.

However, the Basque institutions had to decide whether or not they would pay for the remaining 20% ​​so that the total discount in Euskadi would be 50%. We have decided to reach the maximum bonus in Euskotren in the three historical territories. The rest of the operators have also shown their intention to reach the top and are working towards it,” he said.

Thus, the institutions have agreed to complement the 30% aid from the Government of Spain for transport that is not within their competence and public transport users will have 50% discounts from September and until at least December 2022.

Although it was not planned and Arriola has admitted that this additional reduction of 20% will entail an additional cost of 14,000 euros, he considers “a social measure that will benefit Basque citizens.” The Minister of Transport has added that it is “a joint and shared effort between all the Basque institutions”.