The Berlin Greens have renewed their demand for a mandatory public transport ticket for all visitors to the city.
"My impression is that it would hardly prevent tourists from coming to Berlin if they get a ticket with which they can move anywhere," said Green top candidate Bettina Jarasch the Berlin "Tagesspiegel" (Wednesday).
Berlin - "And it would bring us money".
In their coalition negotiations, the SPD, the Greens and the Left are currently talking about additional sources of income for local public transport in addition to state subsidies and income from tickets.
The planned expansion of local transport is to be paid for with the help of this so-called third financing pillar.
Various sources could be used for this, including a city toll for drivers who want to drive into the city center or a compulsory ticket for all Berliners.
Both would certainly be very controversial.
Jarasch made it clear that a mandatory guest ticket, which the Greens have been asking for for years, is their favorite.
But that alone will not be enough, said Jarasch.
“That is why we will be talking about new models both in terms of parking space management and parking fees.
That would also have a traffic control effect. "
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IHK) rejects a mandatory ticket for visitors.
Before Corona, tourists had spent 17 billion euros in the city, 200,000 Berliners lived on it, said the chairman of the tourism committee of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, Hans-Jörg Schulze.
“The city tax alone already played 51 million euros in the city's budget holes in 2019.
What else should tourists finance? "
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In other cities, the City Tax is a free ticket for local public transport.
"Accommodation tax plus compulsory public transport ticket would be unique and would negligently jeopardize the restart of Berlin tourism in the European competition of destinations," said Schulze.
In general, the Greens are not interested in a specific instrument, but in strengthening public transport financially, said Jarasch.
“A third pillar of financing means an additional source of income for the expansion of local transport.
We will need them if we not only want to pursue what is already planned, but also want to go beyond that, for example with the subway. ”Dpa