(Pictured above: Minister Roderic O’Gorman TD joined NTA CEO Anne Graham, Ed Wills, MD, Go-Ahead Ireland and Jamille Figueiredo today to launch the 20% fare reduction for public transport services in the Greater Dublin Area.)
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and the National Transport Authority (NTA) have today launched the 20% fare reduction for public transport services in the Greater Dublin Area.
The 20% fare reductions take effect Monday next, May 9 and will remain in place until the end of the year.
Fares on all subsidised services in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) are to be reduced by an average of 20%, with reductions applying to services provided by Dublin Bus, Luas, Go-Ahead Ireland and Iarnród Éireann’s Commuter and DART services. The TFI 90-Minute Fare introduced last year will fall to €2.00 for adults and €0.65 for children.
While Iarnród Éireann’s online fares were reduced last month, from Monday, all intercity and commuter fares across the country will drop. Fares on Bus Éireann and Local Link services were also reduced by 20% last month.
Customers will get their 20% reduction in fares when they pay for their journey in the usual way, whether that’s by Leap, cash or online payment.
The plan to cut public transport fares was announced by Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan in February and was among the measures included in the Government’s package to reduce the cost of living. This national fare reduction is the first since 1947, seventy-five years ago.
The fares reduction will be accompanied by a national TV, radio and outdoor campaign launching on May 9th.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said: “Public transport plays such an important role in Dublin City. On average over 140 million passengers are carried by Dublin bus every year and another 41 million by Luas, for example.
Minister Roderic O’Gorman joined NTA CEO Anne Graham, Billy Gilpin, Director of Railway Undertaking, Iarnród Éireann and Jamille Figueiredo today to launch the 20% fare reduction for public transport services in the Greater Dublin Area
Now, that we are all moving back to work or travelling around the city more after the pandemic, we want to make it even more attractive and easier for people to be able to choose public transport. This saving of 20% transport costs is one practical way we can do this.
“But this cost reduction is also important at this particular time.
“People are coming under more and more pressure as the price of essentials continues to increase.
“As one element of a suite of measures being introduced by the government, this fare reduction will go some way to easing some of the financial strain that households are experiencing.”
He also said that choosing public transport, even for one trip a week, can have wider benefits.
“Choosing public transport over the private car, even for one trip a week, can begin to help us reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. It will also help improve the air quality and cut down on congestion in our capital city.
“And at a time when fuel security is a greater concern than it has been in decades, leaving the car behind, if at all possible, is one of the best things we can all do to help reduce our energy use, and save money”, the Minister said.
NTA CEO Anne Graham added: “With these fare reductions, we look forward to seeing more people using public transport to get to work or college or even to get out and about with their friends and family.
“In the first three weeks of the 20% discount being available on Bus Éireann services, passenger journeys have climbed by nearly 10% in the regional cities, with Galway and Limerick now ahead of pre-Covid levels.
“There’s particularly good news for rail commuters in Cork with Mallow being brought into the commuter rail fares area for the first time. This means that an adult can travel from Mallow to Cork city or any other station within the Cork commuter area for just €3.90 when paying with Leap.
“We’re appreciative of the support that the Government has given us, that has enabled us to make public transport even more affordable for our customers.”