SPD Wachtberg raises the alarm: Ticket prices rise - this is not the case of traffic turns!

SPD Wachtberg raises the alarm: Ticket prices rise - this is not the case of traffic turns!

In the Rhein-Sieg district, the SPD was the only parliamentary group in the association meeting against the planned tariff increase in the Rhein-Sieg (VRS) transport association. Paul Lägel and Otis Henkel, the two members of the SPD district parliamentary group Rhein-Sieg and the SPD parliamentary group Wachtberg, commented on the increasing costs. "It is true that the costs of the VRS have increased, but in times of climate change, a price increase is the wrong signal," said Lägel, who works both in the district council and in the municipal council.

The VRS is already one of the most expensive transport associations in Germany, and the announced increase in ticket prices by an average of 5.9 percent from 2025 will not improve the Situation. "The turnover of traffic cannot succeed," said Lägel. The SPD demands additional financial resources from the black and green state government. It should not be that the municipalities have to bear the high cost burden alone.

criticism of existing structures

Another requirement of the SPD is the consistent use of savings potential, for example by merging the four transport associations in North Rhine-Westphalia. Instead of a "patchwork" for various allies, a uniform transport network could increase efficiency and user friendliness. At the moment, the Aachen Verkehrsverbund and the VRS are only planning a common Rhineland tariff for 2026, which does not sound like a significant increase in efficiency. "More has to happen and that faster," said sources Henkel.

In Wachtberg there is also a tiresome topic: the trips to Bad Godesberg are disproportionately expensive due to the crossing of the border. A ticket from the Sonnenberg stop, which is located directly on the border with Wachtberg, to the Rheinallee currently costs 3.50 euros. If you get a stop earlier, you will now pay 4.70 euros, and the price will soon exceed the five euro mark. For the return trip to Bad Godesberg, passengers pay a total of ten euros, which makes the use of public transport unattractive compared to the car.

The SPD sees the need for comprehensive structural reform and more attractive local transport. "So far, the black and green majority in the association meeting and the state government have had little for improving the situation apart from the price increase," said the criticism of Lägel and Henkel. The increasing ticket prices are not only viewed critically by users, but could also face the goal of moving more people from their cars in buses and trains.

The SPD parliamentary group Wachtberg makes it clear that it is interested in a change in current transport policy that takes into account the needs of citizens and at the same time promotes environmentally friendly alternatives. In the press release, they take a haunting look at the current situation and demand a review of the traffic strategies in the Rhein-Sieg district in order to make local transport sustainable.

For more information on this topic and the current developments, we refer to www.blick-aktuell.de .