Transport for everyone

People without a car should be able to get everywhere too. SAB wants free public transport for over-65s and people on low incomes. And good bus routes from every neighbourhood to the centre and the station.

What is going on

Residents of Maastricht on a low income can now travel free in off-peak hours on Arriva buses and trains in Limburg, through the Dal Vrij Limburg pass. That is a good step. But over-65s are not automatically included: Maastricht has no scheme based on age. A pensioner with a small pension just above the income limit qualifies for nothing and stays at home.

SAB asked the city to include over-65s. The request was not adopted, on the grounds that it would target one group. Meanwhile free travel is only worth something if a bus actually runs: from some neighbourhoods the connection to the centre and the station is too thin.

What SAB wants

• Free off-peak public transport for all over-65s, not only for those below the income limit.
• Good bus routes from every neighbourhood to the centre and the station, in the evening and at weekends too.
• Help with the online application for anyone without DigiD or a computer.
• Loneliness tackled by literally helping people out of the door.

What you can do now

You apply for Dal Vrij Limburg yourself on the Arriva website, with DigiD; your income is checked during the application. If that does not work online, SAB’s help desk helps you free of charge. The guide on free public transport explains exactly who qualifies and how to apply.