Tauri Tuvikene, Tallinn University, Tauri.Tuvikene@tlu.ee 3 years of FFPT in Tallinn - impacts on mobility patterns and local policies Mari Jüssi, mari@seit.ee Stockholm Environment Institute Tallinn Centre Tauri Tuvikene, Tallinn University, Tauri.Tuvikene@tlu.ee

FareFree Publilc Transport case of Tallinn 2013-2015, capital of Estonia – 440 000 inhabitants Intro Idea Implementation Impacts

Trends in mobility patterns in Tallinn

Edgar Savisaar, Mayor of Tallinn, introduces the idea publicly in an Estonian tabloid Where did the idea came from? Not from any strategic planning process Public transport development strategy was stopped Idea launched by the mayor

How was it decided? How was it decided? Public opinion Poll – Come and Vote Yes, campaign organized by city government Tallinn korraldas 19.-25. märtsini 2012 linnaelanike küsitlust küsimusega “Kas toetate tasuta ühistransporditeenusele üleminekut alates 2013. aastast Tallinna ühtse piletisüsteemi liinidel?”.   75% voted yes

What were the expectations?

Tallinn City and Tallinn residents only 65+ continue FFPT regardless of residence How was it implemented? (2) Who could ride for free before and after? -Increased service -Bus priority lanes (were planned before) - increased parking fees on 6-8000 parking spaces managed by the city New ticketing system All have to validate Ticket controls continue Before and after study by KTH, Oded Cats: Increase in overall trips, PT increase 14% - 1,2% increase in ridership explained by FFPT, PT was free for most price sensitive group before Bus priority lanes, increased service, new commuter train and quicker train Shift from walking Service level (seat-km) still 25% lower than in 2008 No detailed analyses of car trip – marginal impact on overall traffic volumes

Pilt 12 New Trams New Bus Priority Lanes

The state renewed 40 year old passenger train fleet, more frequent and quicker rail service “It felt like I had bought myself a new car!” – Juho, 41

Evidence on Impacts For monitooring impacts many things changed during the periood 2011-2015 Recovering from financial crisis Every yerar extensive road reconstruction in central areas of tallinn New trams, trains New ticketing system No consistent monitooring on overall car use Oil prices 10

Key academic findings on impacts of FFPT in Tallinn Oded Cats et al 2014 and 2016, KTH Trip generation rather than substitution Shift from walking Car trips remain the same, but are longer Reduced PT use of higher income groups Impact on car use remains marginal Improved PT and campaign has higher impact on PT use than FF Monitoring Impacts No systematic monitoring nor public reports about the impacts Many monitoring and statistic systems changed 2012-2015 Hard to compare evidence as the baseline of walking was not measured Many major road works/closures have influenced both car use and PT No systematic monitoring nor public reports about the impacts Many monitoring and statistic systems changed 2012-2015 Hard to compare evidence as the baseline of walking was not measured Many major road works/closures have influenced both car use and PT

Source: Tallinn City Government, 2016 Sources: 2010-2015 Tallinn city government, 2016 http://uuringud.tallinnlv.ee/document.aspx?id=11555 2004 Systra Saar Poll travel diary 2015 TNS EMOR/Kredex/Stratum travel diary

Pilt 6 New registered residents cover the additional costs

Ca 5-10% increase in Tallinn residents – mostly from neihbouring municipalities People register to Tallinn from surrounding municipalities to gain benefits of public transit Postimees, 23.12.2013

More people registered in Tallinn than actually live there Difference between the number of registered residents and actual residents More people registered in Tallinn than actually live there One of the political goals was to gain more registered residents in Tallinn Personal income tax the main revenue for municipalities Loss of registered inhabitants during the boom years 2004-2008

The income gained by Tallinn increases with all the other Estonia decreasing Previous trends either increasing income of Tallinn with its surrounding region or increasing income of Tallinn suburb at the expense of Tallinn city

What can Tallinn afford? Can a city with fare free public transport afford itself a proper SUMP? Annual additional costs for public transport --- 17 MEUR Public vote for free public cost 260 000 An SUMP costs ca 200 000 MEUR 17-20 M€ extra funding on Public Transport – more than 4% of City budget 260 000 € for organizing public vote campaign 200 000 € for SUMP process???

Ticket inspections & fines continue Ticket inspections are continued and one can be fined for riding for free without a validating your green card during boarding

3 trolleybuslines replaced with diesel busses

Free parking + direct subsidies to create more parking spaces Planned Reidi road in downtown water front area assume 2 times more car use than now Controversial policies Controversial plicies Free parking + direct subsidies to create more parking spaces

Tallinn downtown roads From a „STROAD“ to modern street

Thank you! mari@seit.ee; tauri.tuvikene@tlu.ee