German city scraps public transport fees due to closure of key bridge

Public transport is to be free from Monday until the end of June in the western German city of Bonn as the authorities seek to ease the burden on commuters following the surprise closure of a key bridge across the Rhine, reported dpa.

The city council decided to temporarily scrap fares on local trains, trams and buses on Thursday "to encourage as many people as possible to switch to public transport" while the Nordbrücke bridge remains closed, Mayor Guido Deús said.

The bridge is part of the A565 motorway and the most important east-west link across the Rhine in the densely populated region.

It was closed to traffic on Wednesday, after new damage was detected in the structure.

Mayor Deús described the situation as "serious," adding that it was unclear at the moment when the bridge could be reopened.

The case highlights Germany's worsening struggle with crumbling infrastructure, with many roads, bridges and railway lines in dire need of refurbishment.

Deús said further measures to offset the effects of the closure are to be implemented, with further car lanes to be added to some key thoroughfares and alternative routes to be set up for cyclists.

Fares must still be paid on regional trains operated by the national railway company Deutsche Bahn passing through Bonn.

The mayor stressed that while the city couldn't "really afford" to scrap public transport fees, "we're doing it anyway."