A common public transport area is coming to Lappeenranta and Imatra

Lappeenranta and Imatra have negotiated the establishment of a joint regional public transport area. In practice, it means that one competent authority is responsible for organizing public transport both in the cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra and between them.

In the negotiations, plans have now been made for joint public transport cost sharing and the host municipality model.

Lappeenranta would act as the host municipality in arranging bus traffic. A new public transport board with five members would be responsible for the operation. Three of these would come from Lappeenranta and two from Imatra.

Each city only pays its own public transport costs and, according to its own budget, makes a presentation to the board about the public transport service level of its city.

- The need for the amount and schedules of public transport is still defined in the cities, but the administrative decisions about these are made by the host municipality, i.e. Lappeenranta, Imatra's city engineer Päivi Ala-Vannesluoma clarify plans.

Imatra pays 40 percent and Lappeenranta 60 percent for traffic between cities.

-This expense distribution is divided based on how many passengers there are from different cities. The weighted share of Lappeenranta is due to the fact that Lappeenranta residents use more space in the center of Lappeenranta-Joutseno, city engineer Olli Hirvonen About Lappeenranta.

The distribution of expenses is reviewed every year. Administrative costs are distributed according to the number of residents.

From three to one organizer

Currently, public transport in the Imatra-Lappeenranta region is organized by three competent authorities, i.e. the cities of Lappeenranta and Imatra and the Southeast Finland ELY Center. The ELY center currently organizes transport between cities.

The ELY center has announced that it no longer intends to use the option right to organize inter-city transport.

What is the benefit of the change?

In the future, the regional public transport area would enable unified ticket, payment and information systems throughout the area. In addition, it would simplify procurement, coordination of schedules, and communication and marketing.

In the regional public transport area, paying is easier and traveling is smoother.

The accessibility of, for example, LAB University of Applied Sciences and LUT University from Imatra can also be improved when all traffic is the responsibility of one authority.

How is the preparation going?

Establishing a common public transport area requires an amendment to the Transport Services Act, as the competent authorities must be redefined.

The goal is that the law change could be put into effect on January 1.1.2024, XNUMX.

The plans are to be outlined in the Imatra urban development committee on 21.2. and the following day, 22.2. At the Lappeenranta Urban Development Board. After that, the matter will be decided by the city governments and city councils.

The topic has been announced for the first time in the summer of 2022.

For more information:

Lappeenranta city engineer Olli Hirvonen. tel. 040 6701566, was. a monsterlappeenranta.fi (olli[dot]hirvonen[at]lappeenranta[dot]fi)

Imatra city engineer Päivi Ala-Vannesluoma, tel. 020 617 4418 paivi. lower rim creaseimatra.fi (paivi[dot]ala-vannesluoma[at]imatra[dot]fi)