Strengthening passenger rights whilst developing the digital urban transport portfolio and boosting environmental sustainability: Those are just some of the priorities of the new South Tyrol Quality Charter for Public Mobility.
Hot off the press: Yesterday, on 4 November 2020, a new agreement to foster the rights of anyone using public transport in South Tyrol was signed by Regional Minister for Mobility Daniel Alfreider alongside Martin Vallazza, the head of the provincial government’s Mobility Department, and Gunde Bauhofer, the director of the South Tyrolean organisation for the protection of consumer rights.
Mobility Minister Daniel Alfreider praised the new South Tyrol Quality Charter for Public Mobility as “one more step towards an even more attractive public transport service: In recent years, South Tyrol has put a great deal of emphasis on the quality of public mobility. And with the Centre for Consumer Protection, we have now joined forces with another key partner who will measure the quality of services for passengers,” the Minister added. The passenger rights charter will be an integral and binding part of any service agreement or sub-contract.
Gunde Bauhofer, the director of the Centre for Consumer Protection, described the signing of the agreement as “an important day for consumer rights in South Tyrol, enshrining them in a whole new Quality Charter. Public transport is an important factor in our social life.” She welcomed the new, clear rules for consumers on the one hand and a continuous evaluation of customer satisfaction levels on the other.
Martin Vallazza of the provincial government’s Department of Mobility added that “South Tyrol promotes a consistent model of environmentally sustainable, efficient and integrated public transport based on high-quality criteria guaranteed for all citizens who use it. With the new charter, we have now taken yet another step in this direction.”
Among the central points of the new charter: getting passengers to participate through actively involving consumer protection associations in communication processes, plus the individual user’s right to receive in-depth, accurate and up-to-date information regarding alerts and timetable changes without delay thanks to the further development of digital technologies.
Other key principles of the charter are equal rights for all users, accessibility and eliminating barriers for passengers with reduced mobility, continuity and efficiency in providing the services, environmental sustainability and a high level of quality with regard to staff. The charter also looks into the right to file complaints and take legal action, bilingual staff and involving the South Tyrol Centre for Consumer Protection in monitoring processes regarding the passengers’ satisfaction with the services provided.
(text: LPA/photo: LPA)