Equality and growth Fare free public transport in Avesta municipality Lars Isacsson, Mayor, Avesta municipality

We promise! Before the election in 2010 political parties S, V and MP promised to implement fare free public transport for children and youths. Before the local Election in 2010, the combined political parties (V, MP och S) promised fare-free public transport. V and MP had a platform of polices that already included fare-free public transport for everyone, but the largest party S were afraid that the economic consequences would be too severe and therefore promised ”only” fare-free for children and youths.

Three alternatives were compared Unchanged services Fare free for children and youths – all year round Fare free for everyone S, V and MP won majority at the election and decided that the next step to implementation of fare free public transport would be to analyse the economic consequences in detail. After the Election three different alternatives were compared: 1: Continue with unchanged services – this meant that only children and youth who lived at least 3 kilometers away from a school were entitled to fare free public transport, and only for travelling to and from school. (The required distance is longer from year 4 (4km) and again from year 10 (6km), however road safety conditions are also take into account). 2: Free services for children and youths all year long – this included all bus trips for children and youths up to ?? years old. 3: Free services for everyone

Costs – Million (SEK) After the Election three different alternatives were compared: 1: Continue with unchanged services. In 2012, running the public transport system in Avesta municipality cost us about 23.6 million SEK per year, including school bus services. 2: Free services for children and youths all year long. The costs for implementing fare free public transport for children and youths only were calculated to be 31.8 million SEK. 3: Free services for all people, and this was actually a very low cost of only 23.7 million SEK, or only 20 000SEK more than alternative one. Whereas the costs for implementing fare free public transport all people, were calculated to be a much lower cost of only 23.7 million SEK. This was only 20 000SEK more than alternative one – unchanged services.

How is this possible? Our geography Our demographic development The facts sounded to good to be true!! The answer lies in Avesta’s geography and demographic development. The schools are not located where some of the main concentrations of children are. This means that many children in the Municipality were entitled to the fare free school bus services. For example, Avesta Municipality has one high school, which is located in central Avesta. Therefore, all high school students living outside the central area were using the fare free school bus service. Primary schools

The costs of school bus passes compared to ticket revenue = About 1000 of the 4000 school children received a school bus pass at a total cost of 4.7 million SEK per year. At the same time the Municipality received 4.6 million SEK per year in ticket revenue, from travelers paying a fare. The result was that the costs and the revenues almost balanced each other. Cost of bus passes 4.7 Million (SEK) Ticket revenue 4.6 Million (SEK)

Let’s try! Fare free buses within the municipality borders – for all travellers Two-year trial Based on the analysis we decided that “fare free public transport for everyone” was the best option. And we decided to implement it for a two-year trial period, starting from july 2012. The fare free system applied to all local bus lines. Buses travelling to neighboring municipalities could not be included, as it would be a logistical problem with passengers travelling in to a municipality where public transport wasn’t fare free.

What we hoped to achieve More bus travellers Less administration More effective use of existing traffic Equality Reduced CO2 emissions • More bus travellers by making it easy and cheap for people to choose the bus. • Less administration as the Municipality no longer need to handle school bus passes. More effective use of existing traffic – No more empty buses! Equality – By abandoning the zone-system within the Municipality, which made it more expensive to travel by bus than by car for those living far from town - Increased mobility for the elderly, people with low income, fler?? • Reduced CO2 emissions – as a result of more people choosing the bus over the car

Possible issues … Increased ”wear and tear” Overcrowded buses Buses used as place to spend time Increased ”wear and tear” With more people using the buses, we expected to see more ”wear and tear” which would then lead to the need to repair or replace buses more often than before. Overcrowded buses We expected that, as more people wanted to catch the bus, some busses would be overcrowded, and that we therefore would have to put on more buses on those lines. Buses used as place to spend time We were also worried that as the buses were made fare free they could be used as an alternative place to ”hang out”, especially during the wet and cold months of the year (Swedish climate)

… but only one became reality Results after year one … but only one became reality Problem: Overcrowded buses Solution: Adding extra buses on certain routes and times Consequence: Increased costs, about 2.7 Million (SEK) At the end of the first year we asked a consultant to carry out an evaluation of our fare free public transport system. After the evaluation it became clear that the only true disadvantage was overcrowded buses and the consequence was an increased cost. But is this really a disadvantage? This is what we wanted! We wanted more people travelling by bus. We added two extra buses in order to manage the increase in passengers. This meant we paid about 2.7 million SEK extra for this fare-free transportation system. However we also had a bus service that we previously couldn’t have kept because not enough people were using it.

Increased number of travelers Results after year one Increased number of travelers ? The evaluation showed an 80 % increase in the total number of bus travellers. The number of travellers on the central bus lines had more than doubled since the implementation of fare free public transport. This is a large increase also when compared with other municiplaities that have, or have had, fare free public transport.

More people choosing the bus Results after year one More people choosing the bus Based on traveler statistics and the results of interviews with bus travelers carried out by the consultant, the reduction in the number of car journeys were assessed. Even though the number of car journeys was still high, there had been a clear decrease in the number. The results also showed that approximately 39% of bus journeys had replaced what would previously have been a trip by car and 22% replaced what would previously have been a trip by bicycle or on foot. This means that roughly every third person on the fare free buses would previously have chosen the car but now they choose the bus instead! (Mobility service: A service provided to elderly with special needs)

Environmental benefits Results after year one Environmental benefits CO2 emissions reduced by 40 tonnes per year Overall, the decrease in car traffic has lead to a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 64 tonnes of CO2 per year, while the increase in bus services has caused an increase of 24,5 tonnes per year. This means that we have seen a net decrease of 40 tonnes per year.

Social benefits People … Those were the hard facts – the numbers. But we’ve also seen some great social benefits! Some examples: People get together - easier for the elderly with limited economy to “get out of the house” and meet people Easier for our citizens to access services and places in our municipality. Good for integration, for example, it has made it easier for immigrants to travel to their Swedish language classes, a service which is provided to all newly registered residents who do not have Swedish as their first language. Also promotes equality as it allows for pre-school classes to travel by bus to visit for example libraries, larger play grounds and toboggan slopes, which some of the children may not be able to visit with their family.

Let’s make it permanent! The advantages outweighed the disadvantages. After the two-year trial we decided that public transport by bus should continue to be fare free into the future. The advantages outweighed the disadvantages. After the two-year trial we decided that public transport by bus should continue to be fare free into the future.

Number of travelers still increasing +200% The number of travelers have kept going up. From 2012, the year of the implementation of fare free public transport, to the most recent numbers there has been an increase of over 100 %. (eller 236 % om vi jämför med år 2009)

Other positive effects FFPT puts Avesta on the map Makes Avesta an attractive place to live A contributing factor to population growth FFPT puts Avesta on the map It works as ”free” advertising for us. People talk about it, and know about it. Today with social media and information spreading fast we have noticed that the fare free public buses in Avesta receive attention all over Sweden – and indeed internationally! Makes Avesta an attractive place to live It adds a benefit to us as a place to live. Something that makes everyday life just a little bit easier for many of our citizens. A contributing factor to population growth We do not have any official research that proves a direct link but it is clear to see the simultaneous population growth.

Population growth Avesta municipality had experienced a decreasing population for several years (with some small isolated exceptions) until 2012 – the year we started fare free public transport. From 2013 this trend has turned around and we are now growing for the third straight year and official population forecasts show that we will keep growing. This is very important for a municipality like Avesta, as a population growth is crucial to our development.

Other municipalities in the region are following our example Sala – fare free buses from april 2018, three year project Fagersta, fare free buses from april 2018, one year trial

FFPT in to the future! All this make us believe that Fare free public transport is the right way to go. At least for us it is! We’ve decided that public transport should continue to be fare free in to the future.

Thank you!