The National Transport Authority (NTA) must urgently review its fare zone policy, which continues to unfairly penalise a cohort of Dublin commuters, said a Fine Gael TD.
Speaking at yesterday’s Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport, Deputy Grace Boland again criticised the exclusion of Skerries and Balbriggan from the Dublin City Zone, a decision that results in higher train fares for those commuting to and from those towns.
Deputy Boland reiterated her challenge to the decision the NTA took earlier this year to exclude Balbriggan and Skerries from the Dublin City Zone fare.
“Many bus routes are consistently unreliable, either through not showing up or being packed to the rafters and unable to pick up waiting passengers. Commuters are opting to then run for the train or DART, which causes much stress
With regards to north county Dublin specifically, the NTA yesterday committed to considering a proposal from the local Coastal Transport Group to redirect some of the existing 33 buses to a new express route including stops in Balbriggan, Skerries, Rush, Lusk, and Swords. This would cut travel times and provide a more fit for purpose service for North East County Dublin.
“It was also good to see the NTA acknowledge the persistent capacity problems being experienced on certain bus routes. They have committed to examining options to alleviate pressure on this route.
“But this commitment should not have to be given only when under scrutiny. Our communities are growing, and our transport system must grow with them. The NTA must plan for the capacity required on all its services across Dublin, so all daily commuters can be assured their bus will turn up on time, that there will be space for them to get on it and that they are paying a fair price for their journey.”