Opposition MPs pulled no punches expressing their displeasure with government plans to open up public transportation to market forces – essentially to introduce more competition.
Critics were especially scathing when it came to proposals to roll back rail services in many parts of the country. Rail routes are under the guillotine in western Uusimaa (Y line), the Tampere region, central Finland, Ostrobothnia and eastern Finland.
Transport Minister Anne Berner took the floor to respond to an interpellation on the matter filed by opposition parties. Berner rejected claims that government’s plans would undermine the availability of public transportation services.
The minister said that with an increased demand for operating permits from private bus companies, current service levels could even improve. She cited routes such as Jyväskylä–Haapamäki–Seinäjoki and Joensuu–Nurmes as examples.
Y train alternatives still up in the air
Minister Berner said that government was actively looking for solutions to ease the pain in some areas.
"We are considering one solution in which the Transport and Communications Ministry would authorise Helsinki Region Transport HSL to cooperate with the Siuntio municipality to procure a train service between Helsinki and Karjaa," Berner said.
The minister sought to calm the debate by saying that government intended to safeguard rail transportation.
"It will be temporarily complemented with a mandated service up to the year 2016 on common routes where train services aren’t otherwise available. In any case the requirements for maintaining rail services will be guaranteed on all common routes until commuter rail traffic is opened up for competition," she said.
Opposition: Competition doesn’t always bring improvements
First to sign up to the interpellation, Social Democrat MP Katja Taimela said she was taken aback by the government’s zeal to open up public transportation to competition. Taimela called on the administration to safeguard the viability of far-flung regions and to preserve equal access to transportation.
"The government has been deluded into thinking that competition automatically brings reforms, innovation and growth. We are leaving behind a relatively functional system to a system that will facilitate all kinds of skimming and cheating," she charged.
Taimela also accused the administration of withholding information.
"People in many of the provinces are following the government’s actions in fear. There has not been timely or in some cases any information at all provided about changes in purchasing arrangements for rail services. Not to mention that there has been no opportunity to influence the decision-making," Taimela added.
