María Fernández: "The free bus service is guaranteed for 2025"

The general director of Transport of the Canary Islands Government, María Fernández, stated this Wednesday that "the ideal scenario" regarding the free bus service is that there are State budgets in 2025 and the real cost of this service is recorded, about 140 million euros, instead of the 81 million that will be received if the items are extended.

After attending a meeting of the inter-administrative transport table, the general director pointed out in statements to the media that "unfortunately" they are pending "on whether there is a new Budget law or not", but it is also necessary to send "a message of tranquility" because "free service is guaranteed" for next year.

However, the general director specified that until the end of the month the Ministry of the area will not communicate under what conditions the 81 million item will be transferred and whether it will be subject to a certain percentage of the population.

To this is added that depending on whether there are new state budgets or the accounts are extended, "one path or another will be taken" and obviously, María Fernández continued, the ideal is to have a new updated item that corresponds to the real cost of the free bus and tram service, and that it is paid on time.

In this regard, she pointed out that the Ministry has been "quite optimistic" regarding the possibility of approving a new budget and has even alluded to the fact that it would entail specific financing for the renewal of buses in the archipelago.

And it is that once the free public transport has been achieved, now this service "has to be comfortable, fast and efficient to continue attracting users", Fernández indicated.

Another aspect to take into account is that, if the accounts are finally extended and the Canary Islands receives the 81 million guaranteed for this area, the Canary Islands public administrations will continue to contribute from their funds the amount necessary to cover the free service, which is "a state competence".

In the rest of the peninsular territory "it is not being discussed whether more or less is needed: it is given to them", María Fernández specified, for whom it is "very unfair" to ask the Canarians to subtract resources from their basic policies to cover a state policy that "is guaranteed" for the other communities.

Also at the inter-administrative table this Wednesday, the meetings with the Ministry of Transport were reported to solve "the critical situation" derived from the delay in the payment of subsidies to the regular passenger service, which was producing "tension" and increased costs in the provision because the concessionary companies have resorted to bank loans "to sustain the system", said the general director.

Finally, the Council of Ministers this Tuesday agreed to provide an item of 47.5 million euros for the system deficit, which is published this Wednesday in the Official State Gazette, and at the meeting of the inter-administrative table it was agreed to coordinate the actions to expedite the corresponding certification "and that the money arrives as soon as possible to not continue strangling" this service.

In addition, the creation in 2025 of a Canary Islands registry of operators was discussed, for which the systems of the councils will be connected with that of the Government of the Canary Islands, and the reform of the Canary Islands Transport Law, in force since 2007, for which the deadline for allegations was closed in October, now in the analysis phase.

Before the end of this year, the plenary session of the transport table will be constituted to decide what type of reform will be introduced and deepen the subsequent regulatory development of the norm, since the objective is to have legislation that is as up-to-date as possible, useful to administrations and operators, the general director of the area specified.