Sep.5, 2022
By Lyne Samury and Natasha Pearce
With the gas and fuel crisis being inevitable on the European continent, Public Transportation Companies such as Midttrafik and Aarhus’s light trail revealed that Aarhus locals are not the only side affected by the huge bills.
Post Covid-19, several commuters have not returned to train and bus stops with fuel increasing in price that regional municipalities might feel pressured to cut away huge numbers of public transportation buses if the Danish government does not reach a solution to close the price gap according to Jyllands Posten (2022).
According to Midttrafik’s recent interview with stiften.dk (2022), the outrageously high cost of fuel will result in an additional bill of DKK 165 million in 2022. The deficit now stands at DKK 255 million. And it will only get worse during the coming year, according to Midttrafik’s estimation, where in 2023, expensive fuel and corona expenses will give the transport company operating in Aarhus, a total bill of DKK 312 million.
Fuel prices in Europe are about 12 times significantly greater than they were currently the year before, which is the result of Russia drastically cutting down gas supply in retribution for the EU supporting Kyiv after the takeover of Ukraine.
The need to find alternate means of getting around the city has increased as a result (Stigende, n.d.). This came at the expense of public transportationcompanies as several of those who used to take the bus, have decided to cycle, or walk to save money.
“I need to get a bicycle or else all my allowance money will be spent on transportation. It is very easy to ride a bicycle here in Aarhus, and I think this is the best alternative option for me as an international student,” says Chelsea Al Arif, international student in Aarhus. “The rent price of a bicycle here costs the same as taking 3 bus tickets per day.”
Most cyclists—nearly one in four—responded that they cycle more now than they did a few months ago, when fuel prices were lower, according to Applus Bilsyn, which polled 1,279 commuters on the topic.
With this rise in ticket prices, several commuters were spotted to be taking the trains without paying a bus tickets. This pushed Middtrafik, the Aarhus Light trails, and Midtjyske Jernbarner trains to regulate the prices of ticket fines from DKK 750 to DKK 1000 as of the first of this month.
Unfortunately, after contacting Midttrafik’s press office, the company wrote that they cannot reveal more information before the board meets on Sep. 9, 2022.
