Blog: Porvoo´s public transportation

The public transport survey and the forthcoming municipal elections will give Porvoo the opportunity to be a city for students

Haaga-Helia’s student union Helga conducted a survey on public transport in Porvoo for its students from March 2 to March 22, 2020. The first survey on the same topic was conducted in 2016, and the situation has not changed in four years. The results of the survey again paint bad picture about the situation of public transport in Porvoo. The respondents include students from both universities in Porvoo, Haaga-Helia and Laurea.

Already in 2013, the board of Laurea University of Applied Sciences has threatened to transfer degree-oriented education to other locations. Porvoo naturally opposes the transfer. Yle covered the topic with the headline “Porvoo wants to stick to its UAS education”.

Helga has been trying to make an impact since 2016 to improve public transport in Porvoo. However, no interest has been found in the city of Porvoo. After the discontinuation of the Onnibus F77 line between Helsinki and Porvoo, there have also been challenges for students traveling from Helsinki to Porvoo.

It is unbelievable how the city of Porvoo fears the loss of universities, but does not have its own interest in investing in such a basic service as public transport, even though students clearly need and request it. The problems of public transport hit the most disadvantaged sections of the population hardest. Not everyone can afford to buy a car and a bike, or pay for a taxi. Potential users include the elderly, the disabled, students and others on low incomes.

According to the survey, 83.5% of students wish a discount on a monthly ticket, while 67% of respondents want a discount on one-way tickets with a student card. The survey also examined how significant factor is the price of public transport for a student’s decision to use the service. Respondents are almost unanimous that the price of public transport is significant. According to the survey, the students were willing to pay about 30e for the monthly ticket.

Does the city of Porvoo really want to keep university students in Porvoo? Now, at the latest, action should be taken.