SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Oct. 26 (EUROPA PRESS) –
The general director of Transport of the Government of the Canary Islands, María Fernández, highlighted this Thursday the “firm commitment” of the Ministry of Public Works, Housing and Mobility to continue defending the free public bus and tram service in the Archipelago, for its triple impact in economic, social and sustainable matters, promoting the use of public transport and a change in mentality towards other modes of travel that are more respectful of our environment.
Fernández has pointed out, after meeting with the Canarian Minister of Public Works, Housing and Mobility, Pablo Rodríguez, with the Secretary General of Transport and Mobility of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda, María Jose Rallo; the general director of Land Transport, Jaime Moreno, and the director of the Strategy and Mobility Office, Ángeles Marín, that “one of the main milestones and concerns” that have been set in the Government is “to ensure the continuity of free transport beyond December 31, given that this measure has had a great impact in the Canary Islands”.
For this reason, he announced that from now on they will hold regular meetings with the Ministry to address this matter “and that it becomes more than a simple political decision of the next Government of Spain.”
“We have commissioned a socioeconomic impact study of this measure and we already have progress that indicates that it not only alleviates the economic burden of Canarian families, but has also significantly boosted the acquisition of users. Transport operators have responded to this measure by increasing its services, lines and improving sustainable mobility, a key objective for the year 2030,” added the general director in a note sent by her department.
This initiative has had a significant impact on the islands, promoting the use of public transport and registering more than 41 million trips in the first half of this year, the Government highlights.
The public transport bonus in the archipelago is a measure that, as the Ministry has stated, must and can be extended, since the same circumstances that led to its implementation a year ago persist.
The General Director of Transport has also highlighted that, as has emerged, the initial agreement signed between the two parties that at the national level are currently negotiating the investiture of the next state Executive “a clause is included that does not clearly define whether the bonus will be extended of transport or if only certain bonuses will be maintained, without mentioning the Canary Islands and their singularities”.
