Transcript Tallinn

Free Public Transport in Tallinn –
a step toward green capital
INTERMODES
Brussels, 6.02.2013
By Allan Alaküla,
Head of Tallinn EU Office
Rue du Luxembourg 3,
Brussels
[email protected]
Skype allanala
Basic figures
Population of Tallinn 423 000
 Total number of public transport vehicles (bus,
tram, trolley-bus): 480
 2012 PT budget – 53 million €
Total tickets revenue - 17 Mio €
5 Mio € from non-Tallinners

Free PT for Tallinners costs
12 Mio € annually
Why we did it?
Social aspects: providing mobility to unemployed and
low income residents
Economic aspects:
increasing labour mobility in city limits;
stimulating consumers activity;
savings from public transport are spent for local goods
and services;
Green aspects: modal shift from cars to PT, cleaner
air, less noise
Fiscal aspects: strong motivation to register place of
residence, thus increasing income tax
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In the beginning
there was a referendum

Plebiscite on free PT 19-25
March, 2012

Plebiscite informed the community
and involved them in decisionmaking, thus locking the free PT
decision politically - power shift in
Council cannot change it easily.
Yes -75,5%, No - 24,5%
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Preparatory steps
Expanding exclusive bus
lanes network
 Merger of two municipal public
transport companies (June 2012)
 City Council decision on free PT

(September 2012, entered into force
1 January 2013)
 Implementation of new contactless
card (started in 2012 September)
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New sources of funding
New residents – population grew
since 01.01.2012 by 6000 persons
(1,5%) thus increasing municipal
revenues from personal income tax
Merger of two municipal public
transport companies – considerable
savings on operational costs
Widening the paid parking area, raising
parking tariffs
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Initial progress report
Increased number of bus users
6%, incl new profiles of
passengers on business days
(see the picture), evenings and
weekends (going out to spend
free time and money)
Decrease of the car traffic in the
centre 15%
Combined with impact of exclusive
bus lanes.
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International networking
With Aubagne (FR) and Hasselt (BE)
initiating European Network of Free
Public Transport
to bring the issue into European agenda
Developing contact with City of Chengdu
which is testing FPT since Oct 2012
Tallinn FPT was listed among 30 most
deserving urban innovations in
Guangzhou International Award
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Looking forward!
Free Public Internet is often
recognized as eveyone´s right.
Now it is the turn of urban mobility.
Discussions about free tap water,
carbage collection etc
may be ahead.
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