According to a statement published on Gov.ie, taxsaver fares on all subsidised public transport services are to be reduced by an average of 20% from the start of April, as the first phase in the implementation of the programme to reduce public transport fares, announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan TD in February.
Details
According to the statement published on Gov.ie, the reduced taxsaver fares apply to customers on all subsidised Public Service Obligation (PSO) public transport services, including those provided by Iarnród Éireann, Bus Éireann, Dublin Bus, Luas and Go-Ahead Ireland, and customers purchasing annual or monthly taxsaver tickets in 2022 that are valid from the beginning of April will see an immediate 20% reduction in the cost of their ticket, and any customer who wishes to purchase a Taxsaver ticket for April should make the appropriate arrangements with their employer.
Taxsaver customers who have already purchased an annual ticket at the non-reduced rate will also benefit from the fare reduction, as an additional three-month period of validity will automatically be added to all existing annual tickets with no action required on the part of the customer or their employer, according to the statement published on Gov.ie.
Statement By Minister Ryan
The statement published on Gov.ie included a statement from Minister Ryan, in which he said, "In February I was delighted to announce the introduction of a 20% average reduction on public transport fares from April. Today marks the first step in the roll-out of these fare reductions. In April and early May, we will be going further by rolling out the average 20% fare reduction on all PSO services for the travelling public until the end of 2022, as well as introducing the Young Adult Card in May, which will reduce fares for young people under 24 by a further average 50%. These reduced fares will put money back into people's pockets and will benefit hundreds of thousands of people across the country who use PSO public transport every day. They also have the added benefit of accelerating our shift to more efficient and affordable public transport and moving us away from a reliance on private transport."
Statement By National Transport Authority CEO
The statement published on Gov.ie also included a statement from National Transport Authority (NTA) CEO Anne Graham, in which she said, "I'd like to take this opportunity to welcome this fares-reduction initiative by the government. I believe it will have a very positive impact on passenger numbers by encouraging more people back on board in the weeks and months ahead. This is a signal that now more than ever, public transport provides a more affordable and more sustainable alternative. I'd like to thank the transport operators and the NTA team for the work they have put into getting this over the line."
Additional Details
The statement published on Gov.ie also stated that the introduction of this reduction in taxsaver fares represents the first stage of an overall programme to reduce public transport fares, and that in mid-April, fares on all non-Dublin city PSO services and on certain Iarnród Éireann services will be reduced by an average of 20%, and that this will include all Bus Éireann PSO services, Go-Ahead Ireland commuter services, Local Link, and Irish Rail web-fares.
The statement published on Gov.ie added that in early May the full implementation of the 20% average fare reduction will be completed, with fares being cut on all PSO services in the greater Dublin area, and on Iarnród Éireann services including on intercity services, that this phase will include Dublin Bus, Go-Ahead Ireland, Luas, DART, Commuter rail and Iarnród Éireann, that the rollout of the May phase of the 20% average discount will coincide with implementation of the average 50% fare reduction for customers under the age of 24 through the Young Adult Card.
Green Light Given To Dublin's BusConnects
The above news followed news that, according to a separate statement published on Gov.ie, the government has given the green light to the multi-billion BusConnects programme for Dublin, paving the way for the NTA to submit planning applications for the Core Bus Corridors to An Bord Pleanála.
According to the statement published on Gov.ie, BusConnects will transform the city of Dublin, providing a faster and more efficient bus service for everyone in addition to delivering improved cycling and pedestrian facilities, and the programme means that the city will see an increase of nearly 25% in bus services.
The statement published on Gov.ie also included a statement from Minister Ryan, in which he said, "This is an exciting day for public transport in the city. Commuters will have access to a faster, and more flexible service, allowing them to more quickly move about the city for work, school and pleasure. We will have cleaner and quieter streets, and with the additional roll-out of zero emissions buses, to be incorporated into the BusConnects routes, we can look forward to a much better quality of life for Dubliners and visitors to the city. This is yet another example of how government is delivering on our commitments to put major investment behind public transport projects that will meet our climate ambitions, and make our cities more sustainable and healthier for future generations."
According to the statement published on Gov.ie, by 2030, BusConnects Dublin will deliver 230km of bus corridors and 200km of cycling lanes, providing safe, accessible, and efficient transport to many more people, while reducing traffic congestion as well as noise and air pollution, and it will represent a step-change in the provision of cycling facilities, delivering safe, segregated cycling provision along some of the busiest cycling arteries across the city.
Alongside this, a new network of bus services will be rolled out across the city, with high-frequency services running along nine new spines, improved orbital services and increased local services, cleaner and quieter streets will be another benefit, and the current fleet of buses in Dublin will be increased and converted to zero-emission fleet by 2035, meeting rising demand and saving the equivalent of circa 85,000 tonnes of CO2 a year in line with our Climate Action Plan targets, while buses and shelters will be modernised, increasing accessibility, ensuring safe and enjoyable trips for passengers, according to the statement published on Gov.ie.
The statement published on Gov.ie added that the decision by the government to greenlight the BusConnects programme for Dublin will also allow the NTA to start the tendering process for the procurement of next generation ticketing technology, allowing simple payment of fares with credit and debit cards, which will allow a greater number of citizens to travel more easily and efficiently by public transport.
The statement published on Gov.ie included a statement from Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton TD that said, "BusConnects will make travel much easier for many more people. Complex bus networks and fares will be replaced by an efficient, safe, and reliable system. High-capacity zero-emission bus services will operate with increased frequency, improving access to employment, education and healthcare for all users. Improved bus capacity and payment options will reduce crowding and improve the quality of service to vulnerable passengers through more comfortable and accessible journeys."
BusConnects Dublin will be delivered by the NTA, according to the statement published on Gov.ie, which also included a statement by NTA CEO Anne Graham, which said, "The NTA welcomes today's decision by the cabinet to give clearance for BusConnects to proceed. We believe that BusConnects is a game changer and will make a major contribution in terms of encouraging people on to public transport.
"We want to provide a public transport service that delivers better on frequency and reliability so that it becomes more useful for more people in the years ahead, while at the same time, offering a sustainable alternative as part of the effort to tackle climate change.
"The investment we are proposing through BusConnects is good news, but not just for bus passengers. Under our Core Bus Corridor plans we will be building 200km of cycle lanes on sixteen of the busiest bus corridors in and out of the city centre, and in so doing, making cycling safer and more attractive than ever before."
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