There is a fierce dispute between the federal and state governments and within the traffic light coalition about the financing of local public transport.

It is also about the cost of the 9 euro ticket.

The criticism from the transport ministers of the federal states and transport politicians at the federal level is sparked by the legislative plans by Federal Transport Minister Volker Wissing (FDP) for the so-called regionalization funds.

"What the federal government has now offered the states for basic support and financing of public transport is not enough," said North Rhine-Westphalian Transport Minister Ina Brandes (CDU) of the FAZ

Katja Gelinsky

Business correspondent in Berlin

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SPD parliamentary group leader Detlef Müller believes that Wissing's plans endanger the success of the 9-euro ticket.

"We therefore have the clear expectation of the Federal Ministry of Transport that there will be improvements to the financing situation here." The transport policy spokesman for the Bündnis 90/Die Grünen parliamentary group, Stefan Gelbhaar, criticized that the draft law does not correspond to the agreements between the federal and state governments or the coalition agreement.

"If there are not enough funds available, there is a risk of the offer being cut in the medium and long term, which means that another coalition goal, the increase in passenger numbers in public transport, would be missed." Gelbhaar's party colleague, Baden-Württemberg Transport Minister Winfried Hermann, said: "We Countries see considerable need for improvement.

The law on regionalization funds is subject to approval.

"So it has to be so good that in the end it finds a majority in the state chamber."

The Schleswig-Holstein Transport Minister Bernd Buchholz, a party colleague of Wissing, told the FAZ: “It must be stated that the rescue package for local public transport in 2022 will be shared equally between the federal and state governments.

That is the promise of the federal government.” In addition to the promise to reimburse the federal states for the loss of the 9-euro ticket, a significant increase in regionalization funds is required.

“All federal states are committed to this.” The federal government is required here.

"Otherwise the goal of transporting many more people in local transport cannot be achieved."

The federal states are to receive an additional 3.7 billion euros for local transport this year: 2.5 billion euros for the forecast loss of revenue from the “9 for 90” ticket campaign.

A further 1.2 billion euros are planned to compensate for losses in local transport caused by the pandemic.

However, the total costs for this rescue package are estimated at 3.2 billion euros.

So 400 million euros of half the share that the federal government has promised are missing.

Promote additional mobility offers

Further demands of the federal states for the financing of public transport have not yet been taken into account in the draft law.

The federal states also need an additional 1.5 billion euros from the federal government – ​​and increasing every year, demanded Minister Brandes.

One of the things to think about is the increased energy costs of transport companies.

The state ministers receive support from the Association of Towns and Municipalities: "The mobility turnaround will only succeed across the board if the federal and state governments promote additional mobility offers," said Managing Director Gerd Landsberg.

The funds for the 9-euro ticket would have a more lasting effect if they were used for better connections and timing.

The transport policy spokesman for the Union faction in the Bundestag, Thomas Bareiß, criticized: "No one knows how the 2.5 billion euros were calculated as compensation for the '9 for 90' tickets."