The COVID-19 pandemic drastically impacted public transport usage in Stockholm, witnessing a slower recovery compared to other Nordic capitals. However, a period of growth emerged between January and July 2024, with bus ridership in Stockholm’s inner city increasing by 10% compared to the same period in 2023. This positive trend was short-lived, as ridership figures declined again, coinciding with a return to office work for many. While the overall decrease in public transport usage across Stockholm County remained marginal at 0.5%, inner-city bus ridership experienced a more significant drop of 5.8%, according to calculations by the Stockholm Chamber of Commerce.
The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce attributes this decline to the controversial cuts in bus services implemented to address the region’s strained economic situation. David Stenergard, an infrastructure and mobility expert at the Chamber, emphasizes that research consistently demonstrates the crucial role of service availability and accessibility in encouraging public transport use. High-frequency services directly correlate with increased ridership, making the observed decrease following the service cuts predictable. However, the Chamber expresses concern about a potential downward spiral, where reduced services lead to lower ridership, prompting further cuts, exacerbating the situation. This contrasts with the positive recovery trends observed in other Swedish cities like Gothenburg and Malmö. The Chamber worries that alternative modes of transport, like private cars and continued work-from-home practices, are replacing public transport, counteracting efforts to reduce inner-city traffic congestion and revitalize city life.
The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce argues that the service cuts pose a risk of further diminishing public transport usage. They believe the observed decline of 5.8% in inner-city bus ridership is unlikely to be entirely absorbed by cycling and suspect a shift towards private car use and continued remote work, neither of which aligns with the Chamber’s vision for a sustainable and vibrant city center. The Chamber emphasizes the importance of a thriving inner city for businesses, particularly those relying on foot traffic, such as restaurants and shops. They argue that a robust public transport system is essential for attracting employees back to offices, fostering social interaction, and supporting the local economy.
David Stenergard stresses the multi-faceted role of the workplace, highlighting its social dimension alongside its function as a production unit. He underscores the importance of in-person presence for supporting ancillary services in the city center. The Chamber advocates for restoring public transport services to pre-cut levels, warning that failure to reverse the declining trend could lead to the impoverishment of Stockholm’s inner city, potentially deterring businesses from locating there and negatively impacting property owners. They argue that a world-leading public transport system, a stated goal for the city, requires investment and prioritization.
In response to the concerns raised, Traffic Regional Councillor Anton Fendert of the Green Party acknowledges the significant financial challenges faced by Region Stockholm due to the persistent drop in public transport ridership following the pandemic. He explains that difficult decisions were necessary to protect healthcare services from mass layoffs, leading to service adjustments in late 2023 and August 2024, including reduced frequency and the elimination of some routes. Fendert maintains that these adjustments aimed to align service provision with the new ridership patterns without further discouraging public transport use. He believes this strategy has been effective so far.
Fendert cautions against drawing definitive conclusions about the long-term impact of these changes on inner-city travel patterns. Preliminary data suggests a decrease in bus ridership alongside an increase in subway usage in the last months of 2024, potentially indicating a shift in travel routes. Fendert highlights the deliberate focus on service adjustments in areas with alternative public transport options to ensure continued accessibility. He assures that the region is prepared to deploy additional buses on routes experiencing overcrowding. The Stockholm Chamber of Commerce bases its calculations on SL’s (Stockholm Public Transport) statistics regarding the number of boardings, dividing this figure by 1.61 to estimate the total number of journeys. Their analysis indicates a decrease of approximately 556,000 journeys across Stockholm County and 461,000 journeys on inner-city buses between September and November 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Conversely, subway usage saw a slight increase of 0.4% during the same period.
