Press release
08 March 2010
Ministry of Enterprise, Energy and Communications
New Public Transport Act that puts the passenger at the centre
The Government has decided to refer a proposal to the Council on Legislation containing suggestions aimed at encouraging more people to choose to use public transport. The new Public Transport Act will regulate both the responsibility of municipalities and county councils for regional public transport in a clearer manner than before, and the demands made on public transport companies.
"Public transport legislation that puts people's travel at the centre, makes commuting to work easier, allows people to choose among more employers and provides a broader span of jobseekers for companies means that we are continuing the development and competitiveness of all parts of the country, at the same time as reducing sensitivity to economic trends," says Minister for Communications Åsa Torstensson.
The current municipal body in each county, called the 'transport authority', will be replaced by a regional public transport agency. Strategic decisions on public transport, which are currently often taken by county traffic companies, will hereafter be taken at political level for greater transparency and better coordination with other community planning. Limited companies and individual municipalities will be able to conduct tasks of a more operative nature, such as procuring public transport.
A common system for user information
The authority of the regional public transport agencies is defined as applying to regional public transport, i.e. commuting to work and other day-to-day travel. This will protect interregional public transport - which is primarily to be commercial - from being sidelined by publically subsidised traffic.
Certain general requirements will be introduced for all public transport companies. These include an obligation to report when public transport operations begin or are discontinued, and an obligation to provide information on their traffic services to a common system for user information.
"Information is of vital importance. This has been made clear during the winter with many frustrated passengers who feel they received insufficient or incorrect information at times when such information was crucial. Passengers should be able to expect good, relevant and correct information, and thus commercial public transport companies will be obliged to provide information on their traffic services to a common system for user information," says Ms Torstensson.
Come into force in 2012
The restriction - in the form of a potential damages review - that has prevented commercial bus companies from conducting local and regional public transport within a county will be removed. This will result in greater choice for passengers, at the same time as the major public commitment guarantees a coordinated system of regular service.
It will be easier for the regional public transport agency to organise transport across county boundaries in that the current county boundary restriction for transport authorities that organise passenger transport on railways will be abolished, and in that the public transport agency will be allowed to operate regular bus services without a special permit. This will facilitate the efforts of municipal authorities to expand the labour market regions in a sustainable manner.
It is proposed that the Public Transport Act, as well as the proposed amendments to current legislation, enter into force on 1 January 2012.
Contact
Kenneth HultgrenPress Secretary
+46 8 405 48 17
+46 70 593 08 77
Ulf Andersson
Desk Officer
+46 8 405 36 57
