Luxembourg has become the first country in the whole world
to offer free public transport in a bid to reduce congestion from vehicle
traffic.
The government in the Grand Duchy has strategized the plans in
place, implying all trams, buses, including trains are now free to be used.
The Minister of mobility and public works, Francois Bausch
described the good news as ‘A social icing on the cake of the universal
strategy for a multimodal change.’
Bausch announced free travel would kick start on 29th
February and not from March 1st as earlier reported.
The very last chance to pay £1.70, an equivalent of €2 flat
fare, according to reports was on bus number 6 from the Pletzer shop in the suburb of Helfenterbruck at around 11:59 p.m.
A spokesperson
for the Luxembourg government, according
to The Independent said: ‘As 2020 is a leap year and as the celebrations
and concerts are occurring tomorrow, it’s been decided to make every public
transport free as from tomorrow in a bid to allow every citizen to join the
public celebration free of charge
Is this really visible? Yes is it as part of the cost will obviously
be covered by eliminating a tax break for commuters while also encouraging a
shift away from the use of private cars in Luxembourg.
Nevertheless, not everyone is still convinced about the
change. A Teacher, identified as Claude Moyen who travels by train to his
school every day in the town of Diekirch revealed the quality of journeys is
prone to suffering.
He said: ‘I am not convinced if making public transport free in Luxembourg will take a large number of people out of their vehicles.’
