The Basque Transport Authority agrees to extend the 50% discounts and introduce free transport for the under 12s by provinces
- The institutions confirm the extension of the local subsidies needed the 50% discounts to continue during the first half of 2025 as envisaged in the central government's measures approved by the Spanish Cabinet this Monday
- From 7 January, children aged 6 to 12 can apply for the personal free travel cards from the Bat, Barik and Mugi customer services offices; free travel for the under 12s will be introduced by provinces between the end of January and early February
This Monday, the Basque Transport Authority (ATE) held an extraordinary plenary meeting to analyse the agreement adopted by the Spanish Cabinet today which extends the 50% discount on public transport for a further six months; it also studied the introduction of free transport for under 12s in the Basque Country, which had been proposed by the ATE Chair and Basque Minister for Sustainable Mobility, Susana García Chueca, at the previous plenary session.
As regards the 50% public transport discounts for the general public, the institutions have agreed to maintain the financial support to continue the discounts. The Spanish state measure establishes that the Central Government will assume 30% of the cost of the discount, which is conditional on the local governments covering the remaining 20%. In the Basque Country, the Basque Government has so far covered 10% and the municipal or provincial operators and authorities the remaining 10%.
Accordingly, the Basque Minister for Sustainable Mobility has confirmed that the Basque Government is to continue with its funding – it has so far supported the local governments to the tune of €41.7 million since the discounts started in September 2022 – and the other institutions and operators have announced that they will cover their part. The Renfe Cercanías suburban train services, whose management will be handed over to the Basque Government in the Basque Country on 1 January, will continue to be free as up to now.
As regards free travel for the under 12s – it has so far been available for the under 6s, except for the Vitoria-Gasteiz Tuvisa services where under 12s already travel free - García Chueca argued for the need to implement the measure to relieve the pressure on household budgets and to encourage sustainable mobility in younger generations. She also pointed out the mandate of the Basque Parliament, which approved a resolution championing this measure in October 2022.
The main operators have expressed their support to finally extend the age bracket; in the coming days, they will put the measure to their respective decision-making bodies - Gipuzkoa Transport Territorial Authority (ATTG), Bizkaia Transport Consortium (CTB) and Álava Mobility Authority (AMA) - so that it can be progressively introduced between early January and the start of February 2025. Around 130,400 children throughout the Basque Country - 22,000 in Álava, 65,000 in Bizkaia and 43,300 in Gipuzkoa, according to Eustat data - are eligible.
The under 12s must have a personal card in order to take advantage of the free travel. They will use it to validate their journeys when they will travel free from the moment that the measure is implemented in their province. Therefore, from 7 January, anybody with dependent children from when they turn 6 until their 12th birthday may go to the customer services offices to apply for the personal card. No extra formalities are required for children who already have a card.
García Chueca stressed "the willingness of the Basque institutions and public transport operators to accept our proposal to expand sustainable mobility rights" and pointed out that it is 'a step further in the challenge to tackle climate change, as well as being a measure for social justice and to relieve the financial pressure on household budgets".