- The results have been affected by the impact of the current health crisis caused by COVID-19.
- Despite the logical drop in passenger numbers, the public company has maintained the main services it previously provided.
Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) has presented to the Board of Directors of the entity, chaired by the Minister of Territorial Policy, Public Works and Mobility, Arcadi España, the annual accounts for the year 2020, as well as the management report and the report on compliance with financial obligations.
As explained by the managing director of FGV, Anaïs Menguzzato, the economic data presented “have been logically affected by the impact of the health crisis caused by the COVID-19, with a clear decline in revenue, resulting from the decrease in passengers and travellers”.
In 2020, FGV registered 44,034,106 users, of which 36,984,259 corresponded to Metrovalencia and 7,049,847 to TRAM d’Alacant. The data reflects 45.99 percent fewer journeys than in the previous year, when 81,533,731 journeys were recorded.
In 2020, operating income decreased by €35 million, down 46.23% compared to 2019. In relation to operating expenses, the public company closed the 2020 financial year with an operating allocation of 133 million euros.
In 2020, operating income decreased by €35 million, down 46.23% compared to 2019. In relation to operating expenses, the public company closed the 2020 financial year with an operating allocation of 133 million euros.
“Thanks to the involvement and commitment of all the workers, FGV has never stopped offering an essential service for the citizens of Valencia and Alicante, even in the months of confinement and major restrictions,” Menguzzato said.
Likewise, as outlined by the managing director, the public company has also made “a great economic effort to meet the new needs arising from the health emergency”. Since the beginning of the pandemic in March, the Generalitat has budgeted 10.5 million euros to ensure a safe transport service in Metrovalencia and TRAM d’Alacant.
The largest financial allowance that FGV has had to make in recent months has been the additional cleaning and disinfection work that has had to be carried out on trains, trams, stations and in its own facilities such as workrooms and offices, as well as the proceedings carried out to control seating capacity and provide information and services to customers.
In the investment section, the report presented highlights that the year has closed with 35.5 million euros allocated to various proceedings in Valencia and Alicante and with a level of implementation of 100%.
New model of agreement with local councils
At the same meeting, a new model agreement was approved for local councils, with the aim of offering certain groups, with specific social conditions, reductions other than those generally established in the fares and favouring their mobility options.
The fare for the tickets included in these agreements will correspond to the most economically advantageous of those available on FGV’s Metrovalencia network, depending on the social group for whom the ticket is intended, whether they are the elderly, young people, disabled people or large or single-parent families.
At present, FGV has signed agreements with various local councils which should be reviewed at the end of the established periods, as set out in the fare regulation in question, in order to adapt them to the regulations in force.
Thanks to the existence of this standard model, it is no longer necessary to require the approval of this same council for each case, given that all agreements that are signed must follow the procedure determined by the applicable regulations, including their submission to the Council, their publication on the Transparency Portal of the Generalitat (GVAOberta) and their registration in the Register of Agreements of the Generalitat, all without prejudice to the due information to this Council on each action that is carried out.
At the same session, the board also approved the modification of the organization chart, which becomes effective after the appointment of the new managing director of the public company.