By Elisa Jeanneret

It is no secret that the industry is feeling the consequences of the Corona crisis. For example, shops in Bern will record 20 to 30 percent less sales than normal by the end of the year. This is what Sven Gubler, director of the Bern City Central District, recently predicted.

In a media release, the Young Liberals (Jungfreisinnigen) announce that they want to fight against this trend. Above all, they want to prevent business from closings. They ask the local council to work out a concept with "concrete measures" and propose their own idea.

More trips to the city center

“The public transport play a "vital role" to make the city center more attractive. With the elimination of a price barrier to the use of public transport, the visitor frequency could be increased. That is why public transport in the city center should be free for those who have bought or consumed in the city. For a certain period of time, the (shopping) receipt should be used as a ticket. However, framework conditions would have to be defined. For example, the project should be clearly limited in time. In addition, a basic amount of the purchase would have to be defined, from when the offer is valid.” (Proposed by the Young Liberals).

Taxpayers should not be charged

How should the idea be financed? For the Young Liberals, it is clear that tax money should not be used. Instead, the project would, for example, be paid for by means of "canceled city projects and sponsorship". In addition, the Young Liberals is certain that jobs and tax money can be guaranteed for the city in the long term.

The public transport can benefit from the idea in terms of reputation: "In addition, this measure gives crisis-ridden public transport the chance to win back customers and trust." The Young Liberals is aware that this is an unconventional measure. But the party claims that this is what is needed in times of crisis. According to reactions on Twitter, this proposal triggers some negative reaction, and is not even supported by the Young Socialists Switzerland, the left wing party in the country.

(translated from German by Xiaoyan Hu)

Read the original story here.