HSL says it will invest six million euros in improving public transport this year. In practice, it means, for example, lowering prices and making schedules more frequent.
“All is possible”, declares Helsinki Region Transport (HSL) forcefully in its advertising campaign launched at the beginning of the year.
HSL says that this year it will invest an “unprecedented amount” in improving public transport.
In the midst of crises, HSL's promises sound grandiose. We asked HSL's market leader From Mari Flinkis it true that public transport services will improve this year more than ever.
What is this ad campaign about?
Mari Flink
“It is above all an attitude promise. We promise to work really committed and persistently for the things that are important to our customers. It doesn't mean that everything is easy in the midst of these challenges, but everything is possible. HSL is not the one to throw in the towel and state that nothing will come of this.”
What does this mean concretely?
“We calculated the ticket prices for two zones. The prices of single tickets fell by about five percent and season tickets by six percent. In addition, some lines will have reduced timetables, especially outside of rush hour, to make it easier to travel during leisure time. Even more reforms are coming in the fall.”
“People don't move as much as before the corona. That can be a good thing, but it's also worrying if people over 65 spend too much of their lives at home or young people spend too much time in front of internet devices. We want to encourage people to move.”
How much do these investments cost?
“Six million euros.”
How can this be afforded in the middle of the economic crisis, when HSL is also known to be in a very difficult financial situation?
“Our goal is that through price reductions and service improvements, we will increase the number of public transport users and thus ticket revenues. Last year, we reduced the prices of ABCD tickets by 25 percent, as a result of which our ticket sales in euros increased. Of course, there can be other reasons for the increase in demand.”
You have said that you will invest an unprecedented amount this year in improving public transport. Is it really a bigger investment than, for example, Länsimetro?
“Future service improvements will target already existing services. Sure, there have been big services in the past, such as Länsimetro or Kehärata. But for these existing lines, that is a big investment.”
#Public #transport #HSL39s #campaign #asked #means #practice
