Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Thursday, 27 January 2022

Public Accounts Committee

National Transport Authority: Financial Statements 2020

9:30 am

Photo of Imelda MunsterImelda Munster (Louth, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I refer to Ms Graham's point that the NTA is looking at organising campaigns to encourage people to be confident in using public transport and possible fare reductions in that regard to encourage more people to use services. Of course, it is in line with our climate action policies and plan and the NTA's objective to encourage people to use public transport. There are two issues that I wish to raise on foot of that. The first is one that I have previously contacted the NTA about, namely, the short hop zone that currently extends to Balbriggan. The witnesses will know that the hybrid DART is going to be extended, on the northern rail line, as far up as Drogheda. That would indicate that the greater Dublin area now extends as far as Drogheda. There is a huge problem, which as I said I have flagged up previously, namely, the disparity in the cost of rail fares between Drogheda and Dublin, Laytown and Dublin and Balbriggan and Dublin. As a result of that, many people, particularly in Laytown, choose to drive to Balbriggan. There is a difference of €25 in the cost of a weekly ticket. There is a situation where people living in the east Meath area and working in Dublin will drive to Balbriggan and then get the train from Balbriggan to Dublin. If you are talking about a difference of €25 a week, that adds up to a substantial amount over the course of a year. It flies in the face of everything the witnesses have said on the NTA's objective and our climate action policy. Thus far, I have not had much luck campaigning on the issue. Will the NTA agree to examine the issue and look at the practicalities, given what they have previously outlined? It will stop people getting into their cars and driving to Balbriggan or indeed, on to Dublin, because it works out cheaper for them to drive.

The other issue that I wish to raise on foot of Ms Graham's points concerns the D1 and D2 bus routes. Again, it is logical, practical and for the life of me, I do not know why there is resistance. The buses operate between Drogheda and Laytown. They are very successful and a huge amount of the public use them. However, the current terminus is at Laytown train station and the thousands of people living in the Julianstown area have asked for the route to continue on as far as Julianstown. If the witnesses listen to this, they will see that it is madness that it has not been done. At the moment, the only way for residents in Julianstown to travel to Laytown - and bear in mind that Laytown has the train station, a beach and other amenities - is to drive. That particular 4 km stretch of road between the two villages has neither lighting nor footpaths. It is extremely dangerous to either walk or cycle on. If parents are taking their children to activities in Laytown, they have no alternative but to use the car. If that bus route were to be extended, it would also link the coastal villages of Laytown, Bettystown, Donacarney and Julianstown. Julianstown has connecting buses to Swords and Dublin Airport. The only way to get there currently is by car. It would also provide a link for the residents of Julianstown to all of the coastal villages and, of equal importance, it would provide public transport from all of the villages to the national ecology centre, Sonairte, which is on that road. For the life of me, given climate change policy and the objective of the NTA go get people to use public transport, I do not know why there is resistance. It is logical and an alternative to the car. Do the witnesses believe something like that is logical, practical and in line with NTA objectives and Government policy? I ask them to explain why it has not been done.

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