Traveling by public transport in the country has decreased by about half, figures from the Swedish Public Transport Cooperation Organization show. This also means great losses for the country's regions. If today's situation persists, one billion kronor a month is expected in missing ticket revenue.

- In Skåne I know that it is about SEK 5 million per day, in Stockholm I have heard around SEK 400 million a month and in Norrbotten about 2 million a month. So it depends on the conditions you have, but the large amount and it is constantly accelerating, says Helena Leufstadius, CEO of Swedish Public Transport.

At the same time, the Public Health Agency wants to avoid congestion in public transport. Driving half empty, however, costs a lot for the regional traffic authorities.

- Half of the public transport reimbursement comes from ticket revenue, and you are very dependent on these. At the same time, you cannot set too many trips, because you do not want to have so many people at the same time, says Annika Wallenskog, chief economist at Sweden's municipalities and regions.

Calls for government intervention

At the same time, the regions with increasing spending are facing the coronas center. Now you want to see government efforts to avoid traffic companies collapsing and normal traffic becomes impossible to implement.

- Again, we see that the state must provide guarantees. We are pleased to see that short-term permits will also be available in companies that work on behalf of municipalities and regions, says Annika Wallenskog.

- The risk otherwise is that the companies go bankrupt and then you will not be able to use them when you need to rebuild public transport.

On Wednesday evening, the chair of the regional public transport authorities will have a meeting with the Minister of Infrastructure on how to deal with the new public health authority's new advice. From public transport you now want to see state guarantees.

"The unsustainable"

- This is unsustainable on the day the crisis is over and we should start the traffic again and get to a normal situation. Then there is no possibility of being able to do so if there is no direct support from the state, says Helena Leufstadius.

- If this continues for three months, three billion will be missing. That money doesn't exist. Then we have to reduce the supply because there is no money to pay the operators. The risk is that we will have a very impaired public transport if we cannot secure it every now and then, state aid is needed.

Already after Easter it is time for summer time table in parts of the country.

- It's different around the regions, in some places it will be, says Helena Leufstadius.