The Tenerife Cabildo have confirmed that the 50% discount on fares for people who regularly use public transport subsidised by the Spanish Government, will come into effect from September 1st until December 31st, on both Titsa buses across the island and the tram in Santa Cruz and La Laguna.
This means that the monthly pass for residents of the Canary Islands will only cost 19 euros, and the rate for young people, people over 65 and the disabled will cost just 15 euros, and passes for 5 tram trips will be priced at 2.50 euros.
With these new rates, the Cabildo hopes that the number of regular users will increase by between 10 and 15%. Every month an average of close to 50,000 people buy Bono cards to use public transport in Tenerife. The subscription for young people is the most used with 30,687 applicants.
The president of the Cabildo, Pedro Martín, says that this is a measure that has never been adopted before and values the initiative of the Government of Spain "to contribute to family economies in the face of the cost of living crisis, and help groups such as young people, the elderly and people with disabilities, a measure which also rewards those who regularly use public transport and encourages other people to do so”.
“The Cabildo de Tenerife, despite the rise in fuel prices in these months, which has led to an increase in the costs of public transport, has kept the rates frozen to avoid charging users with these extra costs. Now, this very important discount for travellers is being launched, which is the first time it has been done in Tenerife or the Canary Islands, and which will also be a boost for more and more people to become regular users of buses and trams”.
The Island Councillor for Mobility, Enrique Arriaga, explains that "the reduction in rates will be applied to regular users through the different monthly subscriptions that are available on public transport on the island, without users having to carry out any formalities”.
“With this reduction in rates, not only is transportation easier and cheaper for frequent users, but we are sure that it will add new users who usually travel in cars.”
Arriaga went on to ask for “collaboration from the regional government to contribute a sufficient amount to allow this 50% aid to be maintained t beyond December 31st. If this is not the case, the Cabildo has already allocated 10 million euros that will allow the reduction of rates to be maintained by 34%. Now more than ever, all administrations must set an example and pitch in”, insists the councillor.
IMPROVEMENT IN THE ACCESSIBILITY OF BUS STOPS:
Also talking about public transport, the Department of Mobility of the Cabildo has put out to tender the improvement of accessibility to bus stops on the TF-1 links for an amount of 555,607 euros, with an execution period of 10 months.
It involves work on 66 stops on the TF-1 covering all the municipalities in the southeast of the island, from Santa Cruz to Adeje. The improvement works will consist of cleaning, repairing and replacing deteriorated elements, installing an ‘ischial’ seat at each stop, and new paving on the curbs.
