The free travel scheme is intended to encourage elderly persons to remain active in the community by giving them access to spare capacity on the various public transport systems. Time restrictions have been a feature of the free travel scheme since its inception and are necessary on city routes because the services concerned are under severe pressure from commuters travelling to or from work or school in the morning and evening and they would be unable to cope with the additional volume of passengers arising if the restrictions did not apply.
In the case of city bus services for Dublin, Cork and Limerick provided by Bus Atha Cliath or Bus Éireann, free travel is not available from 7.00 a.m. to 9.45 a.m. and from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. each day from Monday to Friday. Time restrictions do not, however, apply in the case of mentally-handicapped persons, persons attending long term rehabilitation courses or certain other disabled or blind persons. Furthermore, in the case of Bus Eireann long distance buses, the time restriction is limited to Fridays only from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. for up to 20 miles outside Dublin, Cork or Limerick.
Representations have been made to me from time to time that the current time restrictions should be reduced or abolished altogether. Any easing in this regard would have significant cost implications for the carriers involved who in turn would be seeking compensation from my Department. I have no plans to change the current time restrictions at the present time. Expenditure on the free travel scheme will amount to almost £30 million this year and will benefit some 440,000 people.
