Siuntio decided to join HSL

31.01.2017 – Edited 13.08.2020 at 11:35

On Monday 30 January, the municipal council of Siuntio decided that the municipality will join HSL at the beginning of 2018. Siuntio’s membership in the joint local authority will be confirmed when the Executive Board of HSL and the member municipalities approve it. The biggest reason for Siuntio’s decision was ensuring the continuity of train services.

HSL’s Executive Director Suvi Rihtniemi welcomes Siuntio.

“Residents of Siuntio will be able to travel in all eight HSL municipalities with one ticket,” says Rihtniemi. "In addition, HSL will offer Siuntio its expertise in the planning and procurement of public transport."

Ensuring the continuity of commuter train services is the main reason for Siuntio’s decision to join HSL. According to the latest information available, 45 per cent of the working population in Siuntio commute to the Helsinki metropolitan area. Up to 44 per cent of journeys to Helsinki are made by train. HSL has organized commuter train services between Siuntio and Helsinki since spring 2016.

“HSL brings reliability and long-term stability to the management of transport services. This affects people’s decisions on where to live,” says the Municipal Manager of Siuntio, Juha-Pekka Isotupa. “I believe that in the long-term the service level of public transport will also improve.”

With just over 6,000 residents, Siuntio will be the smallest HSL municipality.