Sad news – Danube boat service suspended this summer
There will be no scheduled BKV boats on the Danube in Budapest this year, Tibor Bolla, CEO of BKV, revealed yesterday. The epidemic had a severe impact on the company’s budget, and the management of the company has decided to spend on surface transport, buses, and trams instead.
According to Telex, the boat service is operated at an additional cost – approximately EUR 1-1.5 million per year – that they simply cannot afford after the pandemic. The number of public transport users was reduced by almost half, so the company wrote off a EUR 730 million loss of fares last year, while spending almost EUR 300,000 on protection against the coronavirus epidemic, says Népszava.
The boat service is part of the public transport network. The BKV ships’ route is part of the UNESCO World Heritage and offers a unique sightseeing opportunity in the capital without charging an extra fee.
The service is usually available on working days for BKK pass holders. The fleet consists of seven ships, and the company issues a tender for the operation of these vessels each year. It used to operate in the spring and summer season, from March until the end of August.
During the epidemic, however, waterborne transport was suspended.
There is no decision about providing the service next year, says Bolla. The company has to decide if it is worth continuing the service despite it being unprofitable.
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Source: Telex, Népszava, Bkv
“Unprofitable Service” – what number of years making a statement of this composition, is BKV referring ?
Our ferries are an integral part of our public transport system.
They are an Historical mode of transport in Budapest, Hungary not just for the citizens of Hungary but tourist when they visit.
Tourist will come again and if our fleet of (7) seven BKF Boats are not part of the tourist package of public transportation and available to use and get out – on and across – up and down the Danube, it would be DISAPPOINTING and WRONG.
What other major European cities – their Government(s) – that are located on Rivers – with high tourist visitation numbers – would even consider this type of idiotic decision making – to cease their Public Ferry Service.
My unequivocal position, when talk arises, at costs to Governments of Public Transportation is – Public Transport – on the bottom lines of Governments balance sheets – is that profitability, return from their investments or capital, that this idea or political philosophy of expecting operational profit is – WRONG.
Public Services – of what ever type – transport and other, are funded by the taxes paid by citizens.
Public Services are not revenue earners of profitability for Governments.
It rests with Governments – their Responsibility – through the use of citizens taxes, to run a Public Transportation system – EFFICENTLY – and without ceasing functions or the operation of public transport services – because they become un-profitable.
What’s the Government Statistical expectations of tourism into Hungary over the next five to 10 years ?
What’s the citizen population expectation of growth for same period of time next five to 10 years ?
Research it – and you will find this statement of a public service being AXED – being given no defined opinion of it’s future as a Public Service – that shames and embarrasses the decision made by BKF – a WRONG decision.