Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Ross, for coming to the Chamber for this important debate. Yesterday at about 4 p.m. users of Bus Éireann service 126N, the nightrider service from Dublin to Newbridge via Naas, were shocked when Bus Éireann tweeted that this service was being axed from this Saturday night. The 126 bus will continue, with a last run at 11 p.m.. As the last train to Newbridge leaves Dublin at 11.10 p.m., including at the weekend, the proposed withdrawal of this service has caused uproar among commuters. I was inundated with calls from constituents last night and this morning.

This morning, the NTA said it had approved the continuation of the 126 service, which will operate late services at 12.30 a.m. and 3.30 a.m., until the end of this year, following which there would be a review of the service to determine if a public service obligation is required for its continuation in 2019. The manner in which Bus Éireann and the NTA have handled this matter is unsatisfactory. What consultation took place between Bus Éireann and the NTA, if the Department was aware of it? If the NTA has known about this for a number of weeks, as a Bus Éireann representative told me today it did, it should have communicated it to us and not just issue a tweet, leaving people thinking all of their plans for the coming weeks were ruined.

Bus Éireann has said that operating costs for this service were not being covered owing to insufficient passenger numbers and that it is for this reason it is being axed as a commercial route. It is hard to believe the company has operated this route all year at a loss and is now proposing to axe it as we approach peak demand in the Christmas period. This smacks of an attempt to leverage the taxpayer to pay for the PSO for this route. There is great demand for this service. I have used it myself in the past. I have been contacted by many people about the proposed axing of this route. What analysis is undertaken of Bus Éireann proposals to axe a route on the basis that it is loss-making, in the full knowledge that this will cause uproar?

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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6 o’clock

I note that this is the second time Deputy Heydon and I have drawn attention to a public transport issue in Kildare in as many weeks. I did not get the chance on the previous occasion to say I agreed with Deputy Heydon's remarks on the extension of the train service to Newbridge, taking the pressure off Sallins and other stations further up the line so I take the opportunity to do so now.

To turn to today's issue, the 126N Nightrider service to Naas, Newbridge and beyond is very useful and popular. It is a self-evident service. It gets people home after a few drinks or a late night in town. It operates at 12.30 a.m. and 3.30 a.m., later than the normal services. I have used it on occasion, although not in recent times. I spoke overnight and this morning to many people who use it regularly and I am told it is extremely popular and, in fact, generally oversubscribed. It is very difficult to get back to Kildare after a night out without the service. I recently spoke to people who had to travel via the airport, a very convoluted route. There are certain other options but they are very convoluted, involve a number of stops in between and are not easy to take. The benefits of the services are self-evident and close to the Minister's heart. For example, having people ferried home by public transport after a night on the town means they will choose not to drink and drive, which is surely a public policy goal, as is encouraging people to use public transport in the first place. The reason advanced for cancellation, that the service was not commercially viable, does not seem to stack up. As I said, a significant number of people use the service and, given the clamour today and yesterday when this decision was announced, it is clear there is a ready-made market for it. I do not buy Bus Éireann's explanation.

Deputy Heydon referred to the manner in which the announcement was made. Eight Oireachtas Members from Kildare last week had a meeting with the NTA at which this decision was not even mentioned. I am not ascribing blame to the individuals involved, but surely in terms of communications that was a golden opportunity to have this discussion. However, rather than doing so or having any kind of consultation with Oireachtas Members, councillors, member of the public or, most important, the users of the service, a tweet was sent out yesterday evening after close of business. I appreciate there has been some degree of roll-back and that Bus Éireann now says the service will operate until Christmas. This is better than nothing and, coming into the busy Christmas period, the service will certainly be in great demand. What is the plan for the period after Christmas? Is this part of the Go-Ahead takeover? Is there a subvention opportunity? Will the NTA take ownership of the plan in 2019? Where do we go next?

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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I thank Deputies Heydon and Lawless for raising this matter. As Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in respect of public transport. I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. Deputies will understand that the operation of Bus Éireann services is a matter for the company, with oversight by the NTA.

The NTA has entered into a contract with Bus Éireann for the provision of a number of public service obligation, PSO, bus services. In accordance with the terms of this contract, the day-to-day operation of these services is managed by Bus Éireann. The company is required to meet performance obligations in respect of service delivery such as punctuality, services operated, vehicles in service and customer information. Route 126, which operates along the Dublin-Kildare corridor, is one such PSO service and will continue to operate through the day until the last service departs Dublin city centre at 11 p.m.

Route 126N, which operates on the Dublin-Naas-Newbridge route on Friday and Saturday nights, is a licensed commercial Bus Éireann service. Given that it is a commercial route, the service receives no State funding. Bus Éireann has advised that the costs to run the service were not being covered due to insufficient passenger numbers and it has been loss-making for some time. As a result, the company made the commercial decision to cancel this service and the associated licence from the end of November. I understand that the NTA was informed of this decision as part of the cancellation process. To mitigate the impact of the cancellation of the night services on route 126N, especially during the festive period, Bus Éireann, in conjunction with the NTA, has announced the introduction of late-night services on route 126 on Friday and Saturday nights. I am advised that these additional services will start on Friday, 30 November and continue until the end of December. These late-night services will depart the city centre at 12.30 a.m. and 3.30 a.m. and serve Busáras, the Ha'penny Bridge and all locations previously served by route 126N. The late-night services will therefore serve Kill, Naas, Newbridge, Sallins and Clane. The NTA has advised me that standard fares will apply on these services rather than the special fares previously charged on route 126N. Free travel passes will also be accepted.

In instances such as this in which operators withdraw commercial services, the NTA determines whether there is a public service obligation to provide the services on a socially necessary basis. As such, the NTA intends to review the late services and determine whether a public service obligation applies in the provision of these late-night services on a continuous basis from 2019.

As the Deputies may be aware, the Bus Éireann PSO route 126 is one of six routes which were competitively tendered by the NTA as part of bus market opening. Go-Ahead was awarded the contract to operate these routes. Routes 120, 120C, 123, 124 and 130 will also form part of the network of services to be operated by Go-Ahead along the Dublin-Kildare corridor under a public service contract with the NTA. Services operated by Go-Ahead are expected to commence in quarter 2 of 2019. The NTA is working to finalise the timetables and other aspects of the services. Any changes to the current configuration will be announced well in advance of the implementation of services.

I hope the update I have given the Deputies will alleviate any concerns about the continued provision of late-night services for the travelling public in the Kildare area, particularly as we enter into the festive period.

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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I thank the Minister for his response. I welcome the safeguarding of the Nightrider routes until the end of the year at the very least to allow a little time and space for consultation on and analysis of the use of these routes and future demand, which I expect will continue into the new year. This is particularly important for south Kildare residents because taxi and hotel costs for these residents, who may want to have a night out in Dublin for work or whatever other reason, are prohibitive during the busy Christmas period, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights. This is therefore an important extension. We must consider the broader scheme in this regard. I hope there will be proper consultation with those who use the route to ascertain the level of demand, on which we should not just take Bus Éireann's word, and to examine the time options. It may be possible to change departure times or work with them a little if passenger numbers are down but, again, I am sceptical of Bus Éireann's statement that there have been insufficient passenger numbers for some time. I question this because we are heading into a period of peak business. I think there is something afoot with this decision. The curt way in which it was communicated to people did a major disservice to passengers of Bus Éireann, and I express my disappointment in this regard. Nonetheless, I am glad the service will continue until the end of the year at least.

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I welcome the clarification that the NTA will review the route after Christmas. I heard from the provider, Bus Éireann, this morning that the service was guaranteed until Christmas and I welcome the clarification today that it will review and perhaps consider the service as part of the PSO at that point. I hope some lessons are learned from this exercise. While I appreciate that the Minister may not have direct operational responsibility, I hope he will bring to the NTA's attention the manner in which this decision was communicated. Does he share our concerns that a tweet late in the evening announcing the cancellation of a service established for over ten years, with zero engagement, is not the way to go?

If there is to be a review, I would welcome the opportunity for engagement, as would, I am sure, all Deputies from Kildare. I would suggest a number of improvements. I will not detail them all now but they include suggestions on the timetable and stops on the route. I can think of a number of changes off the top of my head that would improve the service if it is loss-making, although I am sceptical about that. Perhaps we could help the company turn this around by making some tweaks which would make the service more popular and useful.

I ask the Minister to press the company to engage with the users of the route and Members of the Oireachtas before it makes a decision on this service. It is critical that lessons are learned from such an engagement.

Shane Ross (Dublin Rathdown, Independent)
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The Deputies' representations may have made a difference as the NTA and Bus Éireann have decided to continue this service until Christmas, and for that I thank them. I presume the NTA's promise to carry out a review is also welcome. The Deputies will have plenty of opportunities to make representations before a decision is made. I will convey to the NTA and Bus Éireann what they said about the way in which the announcement was made.