St. Pölten bus funding remains unresolved

Funding for St. Pölten’s LUP city bus system remains unsettled, ORF reports. The city is seeking a three-way arrangement in which the federal government, Lower Austria and the city would each contribute around five million euros.

About 15 million euros will be needed from autumn 2027. According to the city, an agreement with the federal government has already been negotiated, but Lower Austria has so far committed only around 1.9 million euros. The city fears the federal government could withdraw its funding pledge, potentially forcing cuts to bus services.

The city said it had set out its demands to the state government in correspondence and stressed the urgency of the matter. It attributed the rising costs to several changes made in recent years, including weekend and night services and the addition of more stops. The planned switch to electric buses was not the only reason for the higher costs, it said.

Udo Landbauer’s office, the Lower Austrian councillor responsible for transport, said the city could claim increased funding, including a state capital bonus, worth around 1.9 million euros per year. Higher funding was not possible given the strained budget situation and economic conditions, the statement said.

The Lower Austrian transport company NÖVOG said it was aware of the state’s funding commitment and wanted to implement the project quickly, but was waiting for an order from the city. While the timetable could now change, NÖVOG said continued service was secured. The consequences for the bus system if the three-way funding agreement fails remain unclear.