Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport. However, I am not involved in the operation of public transport companies, including their branding. The NTA has statutory responsibility to secure the development and implementation of a single public transport brand under section 5 of the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008. Under the Act, the NTA may give a direction to a public transport operator on the promotion and use of a single public transport brand. This single public transport brand relates to services provided under contract with the NTA, that is, PSO, not commercial services. The statutory position is therefore clear. The NTA has the necessary statutory powers to design, develop and ensure implementation of a single public transport brand. I have been advised by the NTA that in accordance with this legislative provision, it has developed the unifying brand Transport for Ireland and has developed a common livery for the bus fleet on the public service obligation services that will now be operated by multiple operators and not just Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann.

As the Deputy will be aware, under bus market opening in August 2017 the NTA announced Go-Ahead, a UK bus and rail operator, as the winner of the tendering competition to operate 23 orbital routes. They are routes that do not go through the city centre in Dublin that are currently operated by Dublin Bus. In November 2017, the NTA announced Bus Éireann as the winner of the tendering competition to operate five city bus routes in Waterford city. With regard to the more recent Dublin commuter competition, the NTA announced Go-Ahead as the preferred tenderer in March to operate PSO bus services on six bus routes in the Dublin commuter area along the Kildare corridor. All these new services are expected to be phased in over a number of months commencing later this year and will benefit passengers through enhanced and improved quality services. Collectively these routes comprise approximately 10% of the total PSO bus route network currently operated by Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann under contracts concluded with the NTA. The NTA has stated that it expects to introduce the new bus livery on the Go-Ahead services and on the revamped Waterford services to be provided by Bus Éireann. The NTA has further advised it will subsequently extend the new livery to other services on a phased basis.

I understand discussions have taken place between the NTA and Dublin Bus, together with the other CIÉ subsidiary companies, since early 2016 with regard to exploring the issues related to developing a single public transport brand. Public consultations took place in October last year relating to new service providers only and discussions are continuing between the NTA and Bus Átha Cliath, together with the other CIÉ subsidiary companies regarding the complete roll-out of the new bus livery. To be clear, the NTA has informed me there are no proposals to change the Dublin Bus corporate brand. It is evident that all parties are aware of the need to develop an integrated approach towards branding of public transport. However, differences clearly exist as regards how such an approach should be developed. As referenced earlier, the Dublin Transport Authority Act 2008 provides a clear statutory power to the NTA to design, develop and implement a single public transport brand and it is, therefore, the NTA's responsibility to take the lead in this area in line with its statutory remit.

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