PvdA Amstelveen is concerned about the price increases for 2020 that public transport providers GVB and Connexxion recently announced. After the 5,75 percent increase this year, they will rise again by 2,23 percent next year. Per trip by tram or bus that is not too bad, but for daily use it counts according to the PvdA to substantial amounts, we read in the Amstelveens Nieuwsblad. The PvdA group in the city council has 3 members. Earlier, despite not being directly involved in the discussion about the pension system, the party supported the carrier 's spring strike. In the motion that the PvdA submitted to the Regional Council of the Transport Region, the day-to-day management of the Transport Region was called upon to inform the Ministry of the seriousness of the professions that employees of transporters exercise.
Now the same party has asked the alderman to explain how the price rises came about. The Amsterdam Transport Region is responsible for this, but consults the municipalities involved, including Amstelveen. The PvdA believes it is important that a clear position is taken in the Transport Region and wants to prevent price increases from continuing after 2020.
“To keep public transport attractive, such price increases cannot continue. We should, however, seduce more people to travel by bus or tram. High rates do not fit in with that, ”says PvdA councilor Arnout van den Bosch.
According to the GVB, the new rates are in line with the national price increase for city and regional transport. The pricing is partly determined on the basis of indexation based on the National Tariff Index. The price developments of, among other things, wage costs and fuels such as diesel, natural gas and electricity are examined.
The goal of the price increases, according to the GVB, is to absorb cost increases so that the current public transport offer does not have to be surrendered. Last year, the fares rose more than usual due to the increase in the VAT rate from 6 to 9 percent.
