Luxembourg, First Country in the World to Make Public Transport Free
Luxembourg has shown a progressive attitude to reform its transport system in past few years. Last year, the government has brought in a law, where free transport is provided to every child and young person under the age of 20 years.
Luxembourg is all set to become the first country in the world to make all its public transport free. Now with this decision, fares of trains, buses and trams will be lifted from this summer, according to the plans of the new elected coalition government under the leadership of Xavier Bettel, who was sworn in for a second term as prime minister recently.
Democratic party representative Bettel, who formed the government with the left-wing Socialist Workers’ party and the Greens in the country recently, had promised during the recent election campaign to give priority to the environment.
Luxembourg City, the capital of the Luxembourg is known as one of the worst traffic congestions in the world. It is the home to nearly 110,000 people, apart from this, another 400,000 people, who commute into the city everyday for work. According to a study in 2016, it has been found that the drivers in the capital spent an average of 33 hours in traffic jams.
While the total population of Luxembourg is 600,000, but about 200,000 people living in Germany, France and Belgium cross the border every day to work in the country.
Luxembourg has shown a progressive attitude to reform its transport system in past few years. Last year, the government has brought in a law, where free transport is provided to every child and young person under the age of 20 years. Secondary school students are allowed to use free shuttles between their institution and their home. Commuters only had to pay £1.78 for up to two hours of travel, which in a country of just 2,590 sq km covers almost all the journeys.
Now, with the introduction of the new law, all tickets will be abolished, saving on the collection of fares and the policing of ticket purchases. Though a decision is yet to be taken, on what to do with the first and second-class compartments on trains.
Xavier Bettel came back strong to form the government in the recent election. However, the opinion polls before the country’s general election in October last year indicated that the Christian Social People’s Party (CSV), led by the European Commission president, Jean-Claude Juncker is going to defeat Bettel’s tenure as prime minister. But CSV has lost seats, while the Greens gained three seats. The final result gave the coalition 31 seats in the 60 seats chamber or Parliament.
