The Mayor of Bolesławiec, Piotr Roman, stressed during Wednesday’s city council session that the city does not intend to withdraw its free public transport system, which has been operating for years. In his view, this solution has become an inseparable part of everyday life for many residents and effectively counteracts transport exclusion in Bolesławiec.

At the outset, Mayor Roman noted that the word “free” can be misleading:

Let’s not use the word free; fare-free does not mean it costs nothing. It costs money. Ticket revenue in this arrangement would cover around 2,000,000 złoty, perhaps 2.5 million. The remaining operating costs of any public transport system are financed from the city budget.

In this way, he reminded everyone that even if fares were introduced, public transport would still largely have to be supported with local-government funds. Potential revenue—around 2 or 2.5 million złoty—would not be enough to cover the full operating costs of the transport system. In addition, inspectors would have to be employed, a ticket-sales system prepared, and expenses related, among other things, to producing and distributing tickets would have to be incurred.

The mayor also emphasized how important free public transport is for residents themselves, especially those who need it most:

Who uses these buses? In reality, above all, people who do not have the option of traveling by private car. These are people with disabilities, older people, people without driving licenses, and children—children in large numbers.

As he explained, the introduction of free urban transport significantly changed the habits of younger residents. Children are happy to use the buses, sometimes giving up being driven by their parents. Roman also noted that this solution fits perfectly with the idea of combating transport exclusion, as it gives everyone the opportunity to move around the city freely and independently, regardless of age or financial status.

Importantly, the number of people using the buses increased noticeably after fares were abolished. According to Bolesławiec’s mayor:

After free public transport was introduced, the number of passengers using the transport system increased 2.5 times.

Such a significant increase not only confirms the soundness of the city’s transport policy, but also contributes to the development of local transport services. Although costs cannot be eliminated entirely, the mayor stresses that the local government’s task is to care for the well-being of residents, which in this case means providing a universally accessible means of transport.

Piotr Roman also discussed the actual expenses the local government would have to incur if paid fares were reintroduced. He pointed out that for public transport to finance itself, a single journey could cost as much as 8 or 10 złoty. In that case, he said, buses would become unattractive or even unaffordable for many people.

During his statement, the mayor stressed that despite the costs, the city authorities do not want to abandon free public transport. They are also counting on continued financial support from the central budget:

I believe in this government, and I believe that this government will provide us with sufficient funds to continue this service. My faith is unshakable.

Ultimately, in Roman’s view, the decision to maintain free buses translates into an improved quality of life for many Bolesławiec residents. It also enables better timetable planning and the development of the public transport system without placing an excessive burden on the wallets of people who use public transport every day.