The Hoogeveen city council does not want the Groningen-Drenthe public transport agency to cancel two (parts of) bus lines: from Westerbork to Hoogeveen and from Zuidwolde to Balkbrug.
It concerns bus lines 37 and 231. The Hoogeveen council called on the council on Thursday evening to object to the abolition of the two bus lines.
Cuts
The Groningen-Drenthe public transport agency has to cut around 3.5 million euros now that the government will stop compensating for the sharp decline in passenger numbers due to the corona pandemic next year. According to the public transport agency, this means that the timetable must be intervened.
Municipal interests, PvdA, CDA, VVD and the SP submitted a motion to put pressure on the Groningen-Drenthe public transport agency. The parties argued that the cancellation of the two bus lines in the outlying area will impoverishment and will mainly affect the elderly and minimum incomes.
The motion received support from Forum for Democracy and the ChristenUnie. GroenLinks, D66 and SGP voted against. They wanted a broader vision of public transport than just these bus lines, or they were unsure about the consequences for fare prices.
livability
The parties that protested against the (partial) cancellation of the two bus lines also pointed to the future introduction of the kilometer charge that ‘many will feel in the wallet’. A majority of the council fears that the quality of life in rural areas will be further affected by the abolition of bus lines.