On March 5, the council approved a safety investment of 35 million kronor, which will focus on children and youth during all school holidays in 2026 and safety-creating measures for the elderly throughout the year, according to Västerås stad. The budgeted result for 2026 is reduced by 35 million kronor to finance this, multiple reports indicate. Last year's safety investment of 25 million kronor resulted in approximately 36,000 visits to various holiday activities during the summer holiday and about 1,600 children and youth participating in camps and swimming lessons, sources said. The exact activities to be funded by the 35 million kronor in 2026 are not yet determined, but planning will occur in close collaboration between the city's administrations, the police, and civil society, Västerås stad confirmed. The Individual and Family Committee is tasked with deciding on and implementing targeted measures to prevent vulnerable children and youth from being drawn into gang crime.
In other initiatives, the Technical Committee decided on March 10 that the city will offer free public transport three days per year in 2026 and 2027, Västerås stad said. The first free day is Earth Hour on March 28, 2026, with others on Culture Night and Car-Free Day in September 2026. Free transport applies for the entire traffic day and includes special and flexible transport services within Västerås municipality, but on regional lines, the regular fare applies. The dates for 2027 free public transport days will be published next year.
Regarding infrastructure, approximately 100 potholes are repaired each month in Västerås, according to Nils Forsberg. If a car is damaged by a pothole, the municipality can cover the deductible for the affected person, he added, based on a report from SVT Västmanland. The city will continue to support the Västerås Summer Meet event in 2026, held on July 2–4 at Johannisberg Airfield, Västerås stad confirmed.