NTA should not renew contract with Go Ahead due to several issues, Labour representative says

The National Transport Authority (NTA) should review its contract with bus operator Go Ahead due to the unreliability of its services in Fingal, a local representative has said.

Labour party representative Corina Johnston was speaking after receiving complaints from numerous people about the service provider.

“Ever since Go Ahead Ireland was awarded the contract to operate a number of routes in the greater Dublin Area by the NTA in December 2018 there have been ongoing issues with their bus services in Fingal,” she said.

“The 33A/33B routes in particular have been seriously impacted.

“We have been inundated with complaints from bus users regarding regular cancellations, workers unable to get to work on time through no fault of their own, students late getting to schools/colleges, a student missing exams due to last minute bus service cancellations and the late buses not turning up leaving parents worried about their children.”

Johnston says TD Duncan Smith and herself have been in contact with Go Ahead Ireland and the NTA in relation to these issues but no remedy has been found.

She is calling on the NTA to not renew its contract with Go Ahead once the current contract expires.

The NTA in response said that “public transport operators are experiencing significant challenges in recruiting qualified staff following the economic and social constraints connected to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The public transport industry has been particularly hard-hit as operators attempt to return to pre-pandemic levels of activity as well as deliver intended service improvements such as the BusConnects Network Redesign and Connecting Ireland programmes.

“These issues are further exacerbated when existing staff must also be absent at short notice while following HSE guidelines after contracting COVID-19 or developing other illnesses.

“The impact of these absences is felt the most on low-frequency services (hourly or less frequent), where the time between services is extended with little opportunity for advance warning.

“The contract expires on the October 6, 2023 and the authority have provision for two single year extensions.

“One year in advance of the expiry date we must notify the operator of our intention if applicable to extend the contract.”

Johnston said: “In July Go Ahead Ireland introduced a temporary timetable in an effort to reduce the number of cancellations and impact on customers while additional drivers were in training.

“The full timetable was to be reinstated on August 28  in advance of the children returning to school.

“It is very regrettable to have been informed in recent days by both the company and the NTA that they are not in a position to give a timeframe for the reinstatement of the full timetable.”