Huge price increases on Prague public transport

Mlada fronta dnes today reports that the price of a standard ticket may rise by 50% and that of an annual ticket by 25%. At the same time Hospodarsky noviny reports that Deloitte have undertaken a study of public transport prices in 10 European cities. This finds that in real terms Prague transport is ALREADY more expensive than in Paris or Vienna.

Such a plan will force many more cars onto the roads.

I sympathise with my old friend Martin Dvorak, the CEO of DP. He has been asked to make the company profitable. He has not been asked to either protect the environment or to consider the number of people who use their cars in Prague. It is the task of politicians to find the right balance. Should this absurd price increase go through, the blame for the consequences must rest with the Prague Mayor, Pavel Bem, and the Minister of Transport, Ales Rebricek.