The Madrid region will require proof of residency from Monday June 15 to obtain or renew the personal public transport card.
The measure, published Friday in the Madrid regional official bulletin, restricts issuance of the personal transport card to residents of municipalities in the region or in tariff zones E1 and E2. Applicants must provide a residency certificate or authorize its consultation.
The regional government stated that the rule implements the Regional Transport Consortium Law and that 94 percent of public transport funding comes from the Community and Madrid municipalities. Transport department sources said "it is logical that these subsidies primarily benefit those who support them with their taxes".
The restriction will not be retroactive and will affect 3.4 percent of users. Existing agreements with Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León remain in place, as do exceptions for large families.