Reform Party wants to privatize public transport in Tallinn
28.03.2012, 14:35The Reform Party faction on the City Council says it will oppose the Centre Party's proposal for free public transport in Tallinn in any form and has promised to privatize public transport if it were to rise to power in Tallinn.
Commenting the statement, Tallinn City Council's Reform Party fac-tion deputy chairman Ants Leemets said: “When we are on power, we would liberalise the market so that we don’t have two poor municipal enterprises and will organize public tenders for operating bus services.”
Leemets said that, under the Reform Party’s plan, public transport would not be free in Tallinn, but the focus would be on the quality.
“Public transport with its 50 million euro annual price tag would be funded from the city budget in future as well. If Tallinn inhabitants do not have to pay for the service, this must be compensated. As the city government has no plans in this area, how can we be in favor of it?" he said.
Leemets says a survey showed that the voters were primarily bus riders and not even all of them supported a free ride.
"The purpose is to bring people from their cars to public transport. But at this quality, speed and outdated network of routes, the number of passengers will not increase, and this is the actual goal. It is a clear election trick," said Leemets.