Helsinki City Transport reports a sharp increase in cleanup costs for trams. An increase in passengers who urinate and defecate means that seats have to be changed at a rate of about two a day. Previously such measures had to be taken only once a week.
Total costs of the cleanup and the resulting delays in transport vary between EUR 500 and 1000 for each event. The monthly costs are in the thousands of euros.
When traffic is not heavy the seats can be changed quickly at stops at the end of the line. However, during rush hours, the entire vehicle has to be diverted to the tram depot.
Kari Saarinen of Helsinki City Transport blames the problem on the increased number passengers suffering incontinence induced by intoxication. He says that the lower tax on alcohol is a contributing factor.
The problem appears at all times of the day, and affects both sexes.
The City of Helsinki is rarely able to recover the cleanup costs from the perpetrators. However, Helsinki City Transport does pay the laundry bills of other passengers who inadvertently sit in a soiled seat.
Helsinki City Transport has increased surveillance on city trams during the day time.
"We try to keep an eye on antisocial elements, and to make sure that they do n to use the trams for purposes of loitering. The problem is that the guards cannot be on every vehicle, and people who are removed once easily come back", says Erkki Mutka, head of tram traffic at Helsinki City Transport.
Police records do not indicate much of an increase in disturbances on city trams. About 35 cases of bad behaviour on trams are reported to Helsinki Police each month.
