The Tranvia tram in Vélez-Málaga is now almost two years old, but there is little cause to celebrate. Passenger numbers continue to fall and this is placing a heavy financial burden on the local authority.
The Council not only has to subsidise the ticket price, paying the difference between the actual cost, €1.42 and the price paid by the passenger, €1.30, but also has to pay the full ticket price for any shortfall in the total number of passengers in relation to a predetermined target.
In 2007, the target was 1,122,000 and, as this was not reached, the Council ended up with a bill of nearly €300,000. That is, of course, in addition to bill for the difference in the ticket price.
For 2008, the target number of passengers was set at 1,144,440. Why the target was increased when, in the first year, a lower target was not reached is anyone’s guess. But it was. As a result, it means that another 625,938 people need to use the Tranvia between now and December 31st to reach the target, which is considerably more than have used the tram during the period January to October.
Reaching the target, then, looks like a ‘no way Pedro’ scenario and the Council will find itself even more in debt. It has currently accumulated arrears of nearly €1.4 million.
The 2008 passenger figures:
January 2007: 82.838 January 2008: 62.589
February 2007: 67.038 February 2008: 58.464
March 2007: 74.267 March 2008: 65.504
April 2007: 71.004 April 2008: 61.687
May 2007: 73.911 May 2008: 62.266
June 2007: 78.628 June 2008: 68.716
July 2007: 102.177 July 2008: 86.618
August 2007: 99.607 August 2008: 52.658