The Government authorizes a grant of 43 million euros to finance free public transport in the Balearic Islands during 2023

This is an exceptional measure that recognizes the insular fact, parallel to the state financing of the 30% discount of the subscriptions and multi-travel titles competition of CCAA and local entities that would have implemented a 50% discount

The Council of Ministers, at its meeting today and on the proposal of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (Mitma), has approved a grant amounting to 43 million euros in favor of the Autonomous Community of the Balearic Islands to finance free public land transport for recurrent users in the archipelago throughout the year 2023.

This aid, which is foreseen in the Law on General Budgets of the State for 2023, is parallel to the financing by the State of the 30% discount in the price of subscriptions and multi-travel titles of public land transport competition of those autonomous communities and local entities that had implemented in 2023 a discount of at least 50% in the price of these titles, financing the difference. This aid was approved by Royal Decree-Law 20/2022, of 27 December, and extended until the end of 2023 by Royal Decree-Law 5/2023, of 27 June.

In the case of Balears, in recognition of the insular fact, in order to make effective the principle of solidarity established in the Spanish Constitution, the aid is extended to finance the gratuitousness of these titles for recurrent travelers.

The Autonomous Community must allocate the amount of the aid to compensate proportionally to the administrations or companies managing the corresponding collective land transport services, for the loss of income derived from gratuitousness.

This measure is one more of those adopted by the Government to alleviate the economy of the citizens in the face of the high price of energy and fuels, which especially affects daily mobility, while at the same time encouraging the use of collective public transport in forced mobility, allowing to use a safer, more economical and sustainable way than the private car.

Mitma boosts collective public transport

Collective public transport is an essential, safe, reliable, comfortable, more economical mode of transport, avoiding traffic jams in a particular vehicle, which also allows you to take advantage of that travel time for other purposes.

On the other hand, it is fairer in social terms, more inclusive and has a high positive impact on the economy and industry. In addition, it is a key element to achieve the climate and emission reduction objectives of all kinds and to improve the accident rate that we have set ourselves as a society.

Collective public transport also makes it possible to make more efficient use of public space and reduce congestion in cities and on roads of all kinds. The capacity of a standard bus or coach allows passengers to be transported by more than 30 private vehicles.