Three major cities could see price hike of 11.7% for public transport due to budget cuts

A large part of public transport in the Randstad area may become 11.7 percent more expensive if the plans for a budget cut are realized. Mayor of The Hague Jan van Zanen said this to ANP. “I am talking about the tram, bus, and subway in Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and surrounding areas.”

Van Zanen was joined by a group of local administrators in handing over a petition about public transport to members of the Tweede Kamer, the lower house of Dutch parliament. The petition, with over 38,000 signatures, calls for a reversal of budget cuts. “I think it is very disappointing, and I think it is very stupid,” said Van Zanen.

The municipalities will be left with the choice to scrap certain routes or make tickets more expensive, said the administrators during the handover. The price increase of 11.7 percent is not confirmed yet, but Van Zanen does describe it as “a very obvious choice.”

The cut is because various specific budgets are being transferred to the general funds for municipalities and provinces. They are being cut by 10 percent because the transfer would save paperwork.

The Amsterdam Transport Region and the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region received over a billion euros from one of these budgets and are missing out on 110 million euros annually due to this choice made during the formation talks.

MPs from the coalition parties did not initially say that they were looking for 110 million euros to be able to scrap the cuts. "It is very much about money," said Cor Pierik (BBB), who wondered whether public transport companies could not spend their budget more efficiently.

PVV member of parliament Hidde Heutink was not present during the handover of the petition. Van Zanen: "They should be the first to decide that public transport and fares in the region remain normal."