Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania's Minister of Economics and Transport, Reinhard Meyer, signed the cooperation agreement for the Westmecklenburg Transport Association with Schwerin's Lord Mayor, Dr. Rico Badenschier, and the district administrators of the Nordwestmecklenburg and Ludwigslust-Parchim districts, Tino Schomann and Stefan Sternberg, at the depot of Nahverkehr Schwerin GmbH on Monday.
"With the agreement, we have taken a significant step forward on the way to the Westmecklenburg Transport Association. A joint tariff and even better coordinated offers by the transport companies will bring many advantages to passengers in the West Mecklenburg region in the future. The barriers to accessing public transport can be lowered. The attractiveness for more people to switch to bus and rail will be significantly increased. At the same time, a better interlocking and utilisation of the various transport services will be ensured. In addition, the transport association can create synergy effects between the transport companies and public transport authorities," said the Minister for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour Reinhard Meyer.
Tino Schomann - District Administrator of the Nordwestmecklenburg District (project lead)
"I am pleased that our district was allowed to take the lead in this project and, on behalf of my administration, I would like to thank our partners for the trust they have placed in us and for the good cooperation. With the signing of the cooperation agreement, we are taking the next step for a citizen-friendly local transport beyond district and city borders."
Stefan Sternberg, District Administrator of the Ludwigslust-Parchim District
"In times when citizens are burdened by the rising costs of petrol and food as well as energy costs, it is immensely important that we strengthen our public transport. This is exactly what we are achieving with this transport association. Especially since this step is of great importance, especially in rural areas and in an area county as well as area federal state."
Dr Rico Badenschier - Lord Mayor of the State Capital Schwerin
"With the 9-Euro-Ticket, a Germany-wide transport association in local transport was created within a very short time, which is very popular. So it works. We can build on this. Rising petrol prices and the effects of climate change force us to act quickly: Comfortable and affordable alternatives to individual motorised transport are the order of the day!"
The public transport authorities - the state capital Schwerin and the districts of Ludwigslust-Parchim and Nordwestmecklenburg, as well as the state of M-V for regional rail transport - and the transport companies in the region will now work together to promote the establishment of a transport association. The ambitious goal is to be up and running by the end of 2024.
In cooperation with the foundation of the new transport association, several tasks have to be accomplished. Among other things, the development of a common tariff, the best possible networking of rail and bus services and the further digitalisation of services - such as passenger information with real-time data and the sale of the new association tickets via digital sales channels - must be worked out ready for implementation.
The costs for founding the association amount to 662,000 euros. In Schwerin, Economics Minister Meyer handed over a grant of 422,300 euros to Tino Schomann, the district administrator of the Nordwestmecklenburg district, who is leading the project. A further 150,000 euros will be provided by the Regional Planning Association of West Mecklenburg from funds of the Joint Task for the Improvement of the Regional Economic Structure (GRW). The municipalities' own contribution is 29,900 euros each (LK LWL-PCH/LK NWM and the state capital Schwerin - in total: 89,700 euros).
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