Mr. Ray Hernan:

We are the operator of the public service routes and take a close partnership approach with the NTA. We made it aware of challenges that we may face on our commercial routes and what support we might need from it to provide an alternative mechanism under the public service obligation in order to offset the possible loss of connectivity on the Expressway routes and ensure that, as Mr. Boland said, our rural communities are not discommoded and left without services in future.

Mr. Kent made reference to the increase in competition. The Government claims that only eight licences have been issued in recent years and that competition, in the Minister's view, is not really an issue. How many extra routes or extra services do those eight licences open up and how many are in direct competition with Expressway?