Bus and rail fares to increase 15% on average

Bus and rail fares are to increase on average by 15 per cent, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has said. NTA chief executive Anne Shaw said it was envisaged the fare rises would take effect in January. She said the aim was the increased revenue generated would be used to continue growing the public transport network. The NTA said the revised fares would apply to all State-subsidised routes – known as public service obligation – operated by Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Luas, Go Ahead Ireland and TFI Local Link. READ MOREIn Dublin, the TFI 90 fare, which allows unlimited travel over a period of an hour and a half, will rise by 30 cent for adults to €2.30. Adult town fares across the country will increase by 10 per cent to €1.65. The NTA said while adult fares overall would rise by 15 per cent on average, many child fares, particularly in regional cities and towns, would be reduced. It said although there would be an average 15 per cent rise in bus, inter-city rail, and Local Link and regular rural services, most fares would remain below 2018 levels. The NTA said free travel for all children up to age nine and for people over 66 would be unchanged. It said free travel for other passengers eligible under the Free Travel Scheme would also be protected.Shaw said it was possible the price rises could impact on the rising numbers of passengers using public transport experienced over recent years. However, she said public transport continued to offer value for money. She said the moves announced on Thursday represented the first change in the fare structure since 2018. “This is the first general increase in public service obligation fares in eight years and is an important step in supporting continued investment in expanded services, increased capacity and enhanced connectivity across the country,” she said. Shaw said the changes struck “a careful balance” between keeping public transport affordable and “ensuring we can continue building a larger, more accessible and better-connected network for communities across Ireland”. The Opposition has strongly condemned the planned fare hikes. The Labour Party said the rises “must be stopped”. Labour transport spokesman Ciaran Ahern said the planned average 15 per cent increases were way above the rate of inflation in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.Ahern said raising fares for public transport at a time that Government was spending €400 million to keep the price of diesel at under €2 per litre “beggars belief and highlights just how anti-climate and anti-worker this Government is”.