Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 125 together.

The questions relate to the Leap card public transport integrated ticketing system. Responsibility to develop, procure, implement, operate and maintain the integrated ticketing system in the greater Dublin area became the function of the National Transport Authority, NTA, with effect from 30 September 2010 in accordance with section 58 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. The Leap card scheme continues to prove popular with public transport users.  I encourage ever Member to have one. It is imperative that we show leadership. To date, more than 175,000 cards have been issued and, in October, 1.5 million journeys were completed using Leap cards.  The scheme has now handled in excess of 10 million journeys since launch and turns over approximately €2.5 million per month.

I understand from the NTA that Dublin Bus equipment has not been designed to handle tag-on tag-off. Adding this function would involve significant time and cost and could well require replacement of the full ticketing system on buses. Generally, it is considered impractical to require that passengers tag off as they leave buses, and particularly where buses are single door vehicles.  Tag-on tag-off would slow down journey times because passengers would be tagging off on the same machines that boarding passengers are using. For single door operations, this would increase the dwell time significantly for passengers and be a bad experience. I understand there are few examples internationally of tag-on tag-off smart card schemes on buses in metropolitan areas and none using single door vehicles. In other major cities using an integrated ticketing system,  they operate either a flat fare system or they use two-door bus vehicles. I understand the authority is undertaking a study to prepare a business case for the national roll-out of the Leap card.  However, this would require additional funding outside of the current capital programme.  It is also my understanding that difficulties regarding availability of top-up facilities have been resolved.

See this speech in context