Context:
Four experts from Partner 13 Brandenburg visited Burgenland (Austria) to learn more about the “Dorfbus Kleinmürbisch-Inzenhof-Tschanigraben-Grossmürbsich-Neustift bei Güssing” (To know more on this Good Practice, please have a look on our MOG website: GP 9.5)
This transport system ensures accessibility of public utilities for residents without car-access. It compensates the lack of public transport and supports transport of children to kindergarten and school. Based on this project, the Regional Government of Burgenland developed a funding system to support local mobility-solutions that meet perfectly the needs of the local habitants.
Content of the visit:
On the way to southern Burgenland, Partner 8 Burgenland explained to Brandenburg’experts the different mobility projects in the region (Neusiedler Seecard, Nextbike.bike rental system, community bus).
During the short stop-over and lunch break in Eisenstadt (capital of Burgenland), there was the possibility to visit the Mobility Center Burgenland.
Then, there was a presentation of the “micro-public transport – funding system in Burgenland” to explain how to find adequate funding for these micro-transport schemes.
Finally, the group met Mr Jürgen Schabhüttl, Major of Inzenhof and Mr. Kazinota (Major of Neustift) to speak about the Dorfbus; the meeting started with a short trip in the used bus to show how the ordering system works and the served area. During this meeting, the concrete points were discussed: how did the project start? How is it financed? Were there any major problem and how were they solved?
Transferability of the Good Practice:
Experts from P8 Brandenburg were impressed by:
• the flexibility of small scale solutions,
• the support by regional government and
• the will of local politicians to find solutions tailor-made for their local population.
• The strong identification of the inhabitants with their region
They also were impressed by the good relations between single villages.
Since the public (bus) transport in Brandenburg is organised on county level a one to one transferability of the project would not be possible yet. An adoption on municipal level could be interesting, but frame conditions mainly financially and legally must be discussed. Therefore it wouldn’t (couldn’t) be a shorthanded solution.
But the project offers some very interesting approaches like the organisation and the financial aspects of the project in general, like linking providing mobility in rural areas with the commitment of the inhabitants by setting up an association etc.
