The state governments of Berlin and Brandenburg meet for a joint cabinet meeting at Siemens on Rohrdamm.
© dpa
After a joint meeting on Tuesday, Berlin's Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey and Brandenburg's Prime Minister Dietmar Woidke (both SPD) emphasized their wish to continue to work together towards a common goal on transport policy and in many other areas.
"We have agreed that we will fight together for a nationwide follow-up offer to the 9-euro ticket," said Giffey, referring to the ongoing federal-state negotiations on a uniform tariff structure for public transportation from January 01, 2023. What is needed, she said, is a joint effort by Berlin and Brandenburg that focuses on strengthening the federal government's regionalization funds for new rail lines on the one hand and affordable local public transportation on the other. Both states want to push these issues together when fcaing the federal government at next week's conference of minister presidents.
Like Giffey, Woidke also praised the good atmosphere at the joint cabinet meeting. The recent dispute over the 29-euro monthly ticket, which is offered in Berlin for the months of October, November and December, had had "no negative impact on the atmosphere either in the short or long term," he assured. The capital region of Berlin-Brandenburg is a strong region, Woidke said, where things can only be done together when it comes to transport, just as they can when it comes to energy or water supply, for example. "No one can do it alone."
Woidke pointed out, however, that the situation in public transportation in Brandenburg, a state with a large surface area, is different from that in Berlin. "Access to public transport services in Brandenburg is not yet available everywhere and in every region as it should be." So, he said, the state must continue to invest in expanding services and cannot just look at fares. After all, the attractiveness of public transportation depends on a good price and a network that is as densely developed as possible with frequent service. In some regions, it is a matter of first giving people access to public transport and then talking about the price.