Local Bus Transport May Be Reassigned to Central Government
The Economic Affairs Ministry wants the Road Administration to be in charge of the public bus system in the rural areas, saying that the quality of public transport varies too greatly from one county to another.
County governments generally staff only one official responsible for bus transport, but now Minister Juhan Parts has commissioned a vision of the bus traffic from the Road Administration, ERR radio reported.
The Road Administration's public transport department head Ingmar Roos says the state should have the right to demand quality for the money it puts into the system.
"The latest studies have shown that people's needs for transportation do not follow county boundaries but cross them," said Roos. "This should be considered in providing this service."
The Parts proposal has not been welcomed by county governors. Tartu County governor Reno Laidre said the decision-making process would become far-removed from the county, and said it is inevitable that routes begin and end in the county seat.
Public transport is currently one of the last remaining county government functions, so the question of need for the tier of government may arise.
Kristopher Rikken