Ivan Yates
Ceist:11 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans, if any, she has to sanction a ten per cent increase in Dublin bus fares in the new year; and, if so, the timing and scale of any fare alterations. [20810/99]
Priority Questions. - Increase in Bus Fares.
Emmet Stagg
Ceist:12 Mr. Stagg asked the Minister for Public Enterprise the plans, if any, she has to sanction a fare increase in Dublin Bus and DART services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21812/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
At its meeting yesterday the Government approved increases in CIE standard single fares with effect from 1 January 2000. Details of the approved increases are set out in a tabular statement which I propose to circulate in the Official Report.
BUS ÁTHA CLIATH
Proposed Changes In Fares
|
Stages |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
Adult |
||
|
1-3 |
0.55 |
0.60 |
|
4-7 |
0.80 |
0.85 |
|
8-13 |
1.00 |
1.05 |
|
14-22 |
1.10 |
1.15 |
|
23 plus |
1.25 |
1.30 |
|
Outer Suburban 1 |
1.65 |
1.70 |
|
Outer Suburban 2 |
2.25 |
2.35 |
|
Outer Suburban 3 |
3.00 |
3.20 |
|
Outer Suburban 4 |
3.50 |
3.70 |
|
School Child |
||
|
All Stages |
0.30 |
0.35 |
|
Child |
||
|
1-7 |
0.35 |
0.40 |
|
8-25 |
0.55 |
0.60 |
IARNRÓD ÉIREANN
Dublin Suburban Rail-proposed changes in fares
|
Adult |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
Zone |
||
|
A |
0.65 |
0.70 |
|
B |
0.80 |
0.85 |
|
C |
1.60 |
1.70 |
|
D |
1.10 |
1.15 |
|
E |
2.25 |
2.35 |
|
F |
0.08 |
0.85 |
|
G |
1.00 |
1.05 |
|
H |
1.00 |
1.05 |
|
J |
1.30 |
1.35 |
|
K |
1.10 |
1.15 |
|
Child |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
Zone |
||
|
A |
0.40 |
0.45 |
|
B |
0.40 |
0.45 |
|
C |
0.65 |
0.70 |
|
D |
0.60 |
0.65 |
|
E |
0.95 |
1.00 |
|
F |
0.40 |
0.45 |
|
G |
0.60 |
0.65 |
|
H |
0.60 |
0.65 |
|
J |
0.65 |
0.70 |
|
K |
0.65 |
0.70 |
|
School Child |
||
|
All Zones |
0.35 |
0.40 |
IARNRÓD ÉIREANN
Proposed Changes In Intercity Rail Fares
|
Zone |
Distancekm. |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
A |
0-16 |
3.50 |
3.70 |
|
B |
17-32 |
4.50 |
4.75 |
|
C |
33-40 |
5.50 |
5.80 |
|
D |
41-48 |
6.50 |
6.90 |
|
E |
49-56 |
7.50 |
7.90 |
|
F |
57-72 |
9.00 |
9.50 |
|
G |
73-92 |
11.00 |
11.65 |
|
H |
93-108 |
13.50 |
14.30 |
|
J |
109-121 |
15.00 |
15.90 |
|
K |
122-137 |
17.00 |
18.00 |
|
L |
138-153 |
19.00 |
20.00 |
|
M |
154-169 |
20.50 |
21.50 |
|
N |
170-193 |
23.00 |
24.00 |
|
P |
194-209 |
25.00 |
26.50 |
|
R |
210-233 |
27.50 |
29.00 |
|
S |
234-257 |
30.00 |
31.50 |
|
T |
258-282 |
33.00 |
35.00 |
|
U |
283+ |
35.00 |
37.00 |
Proposed Changes In Cork/Cobh Rail Fares
|
FareBand |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
A |
0.70 |
0.75 |
|
B |
1.05 |
1.10 |
|
C |
1.35 |
1.40 |
|
D |
2.10 |
2.20 |
BUS ÉIREANN
Proposed Changes In Long Distance Fares
(Up to 64 Stage Units)
|
CurrentNumberof StageUnits* |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
0-2 |
0.70 |
0.75 |
|
3-4 |
0.80 |
0.85 |
|
5-6 |
0.90 |
0.95 |
|
7-8 |
1.10 |
1.15 |
|
9-10 |
1.35 |
1.40 |
|
11-12 |
1.65 |
1.75 |
|
13-14 |
1.75 |
1.85 |
|
15-16 |
2.10 |
2.20 |
|
17-18 |
2.25 |
2.35 |
|
19-20 |
2.35 |
2.45 |
|
21-22 |
2.50 |
2.65 |
|
23-24 |
2.80 |
2.95 |
|
25-26 |
3.00 |
3.15 |
|
27-30 |
3.20 |
3.35 |
|
31-32 |
3.50 |
3.70 |
|
33-36 |
3.80 |
4.00 |
|
37-38 |
4.20 |
4.40 |
|
39-42 |
4.40 |
4.60 |
|
43-46 |
4.80 |
5.00 |
|
47-50 |
5.00 |
5.30 |
|
51-60 |
5.50 |
5.80 |
|
61-64 |
5.90 |
6.20 |
*A stage unit approximates to a half mile distance
BUS ÉIREANN
Proposed Changes In Long Distance Fares
(Over 64 Stage Units)
|
CurrentNumberof StageUnits |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedNumberof StageUnits |
ProposedFare£ |
|
*65-68 |
6.30 |
65-70 |
6.70 |
|
69-71 |
6.70 |
71-75 |
7.10 |
|
73-76 |
6.90 |
76-80 |
7.30 |
|
77-84 |
7.30 |
81-85 |
7.70 |
|
85-88 |
7.70 |
86-90 |
8.10 |
|
89-92 |
8.00 |
91-95 |
8.50 |
|
93-96 |
8.20 |
||
|
97-100 |
8.60 |
96-100 |
9.00 |
|
101-118 |
8.80 |
101-110 |
9.20 |
|
111-120 |
9.40 |
||
|
119-134 |
9.00 |
121-140 |
9.60 |
|
135-146 |
9.30 |
141-150 |
9.80 |
|
147-166 |
9.70 |
151-160 |
10.00 |
|
167-176 |
10.00 |
161-170 |
10.50 |
|
177-186 |
10.50 |
171-180 |
11.00 |
|
187-206 |
11.00 |
181-190 |
11.50 |
|
207-216 |
11.50 |
191-220 |
12.00 |
|
217-256 |
12.00 |
221-260 |
12.50 |
*A stage unit approximates to a half mile distance
|
CurrentNumberof StageUnits |
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedNumberof StageUnits |
ProposedFare£ |
|
257-296 |
13.00 |
261-300 |
13.50 |
|
297-356 |
14.00 |
301-350 |
15.00 |
|
357-396 |
15.00 |
351-400 |
16.00 |
|
397-456 |
16.00 |
401-450 |
17.00 |
|
457+ |
17.00 |
451-500 |
18.00 |
|
501-600 |
18.50 |
||
|
601+ |
19.00 |
BUS ÉIREANN
Proposed Changes In Provincial City and Town Fares
|
CurrentFare£ |
ProposedFare£ |
|
|
City adult |
0.70 |
0.75 |
|
City child |
0.50 |
0.50 |
|
City schoolchild |
0.30 |
0.35 |
|
Town adult |
0.60 |
0.65 |
|
Town child |
0.40 |
0.45 |
I am sure the Minister was aware of media reports that she was bringing forward a proposal to increase fares by 10 per cent. Did she modify her proposal or did the Cabinet sanction only part of it? She was quick to differentiate between her role and that of the Cabinet at a meeting earlier this morning.
It forced her to reduce them.
Were the Minister's wings clipped or did she clip her proposal beforehand?
The consistent views of commuters is that we have the lowest level of subvention of any European capital. Has the Minister made any proposal to Cabinet about the subvention for Dublin Bus? Her rhetoric is to encourage people to get out of their cars and to take the bus. Will she give a meaningful incentive to do that by increasing the subvention for Dublin Bus? I understand the subvention is 3.38p per passenger journey, which is the lowest of any European capital.
I do not know what the Deputy means by asking if my wings were clipped. The memorandum I brought to Cabinet was accepted. The request from CIE was for double the increase I put forward. Those facts can be obtained under the Freedom of Information Act. I brought to Cabinet the request from CIE and my proposals, which were accepted. Fares will be increased by 5p, although some will be increased by more than that. The last general fare increase was in 1991, although some fares were increased five years ago when Fianna Fáil and Labour were in Government.
The Deputy asked me about the subvention for Dublin Bus. I discussed that with the Minister for Finance at the Estimates meeting. I brought forward proposals which will be evident in the Estimates.
Does the Minister agree that to increase charges for public transport at a time when the Minister is doing her best to increase the amount and efficiency of public transport is counter-productive? Has she looked at other European countries where public transport is the norm? In Dublin, for example, 94 per cent of the cost of running the Dublin Bus service is recovered from the passengers, whereas in Rome 24 per cent is recovered from the passengers. Does she agree that while Bus Éireann needs the money, it would be a preferable form of taxation to directly subsidise the company to encourage people to leave their cars at home and to use public transport?
The case put forward by the Deputy is plausible. However, it is unusual for a public service transport company not to increase its fares in nine years when wages have increased by at least 25 per cent in the same period. I have asked officials in the Department to ascertain comparable levels. I want more people to use public transport. The quality bus corridor in Stillorgan is a huge success because there are new buses and the journey time is shorter.
That is because everyone else is stuck in one lane of traffic.
Everyone laughed at me when I said I wanted to see people in shining new buses looking out at people gritting their teeth in cars, but that is what is happening. The number of new buses was increased last year and Deputy Stagg publicly acknowledged that. There will be more new buses from 2000 onwards. I hope the modest increase in fares will bring in further revenue. We must change our view that public transport is the fag end of transport and realise it is the right way to travel, particularly in urban areas. I will continue to make the case that good, accessible and attractive public transport is the best inducement to people to leave their cars at home.
The Minister has tried to sell this as a modest 5p increase. However, it is more than that. The minimum fare will be increased by 5p but most people will pay an increase of 10p or 20p.
It is 5p per mile.
The Minister said she received a request for an increase in fees a year ago. One of the reasons she said she was holding off was that she wanted CIE to put in place public service contracts. Is that being done at the same time as these fares are being increased?
The fare increases and the public service contracts were before Cabinet. A decision has been made on one but not on the other, although I expect a decision will be made on that matter next week. The fares are for the three companies. The details of the public service contracts are almost agreed for Bus Átha Cliath but that matter remains to be settled at Cabinet. The Deputy will see from the tabular statement that the increase is 5p.
I remind the Minister that Stillorgan is not the only place with a quality bus corridor.
The new one.
The Lucan bus corridor is working well and I am sure the Minister sees that when she is stuck in her State car. It took me two hours to travel 15 miles this morning. Does the Minister agree that we are not talking about the 5p or 5 per cent increase but about the trend?
The Government continually says the bus company must pay its way but that makes it unattractive to the customer because the cost is too high. If we are to bring that to its logical conclusion we should say it should make a profit. When we tried that before, people did not use the buses and there was not any money to buy new buses. It is a vicious circle. Does the Minister agree that rather than increasing fares she should offer incentives to the car travelling public to leave their cars behind? She might consider having six months free travel for new customers just as we do not have airport charges for new passengers for ten years. The Minister might look at the Michael O'Leary model for the buses and stop the trend of overcharging. She should seriously consider having zero fares for certain categories of travellers, particularly on new routes, to encourage people to use them and have buses in place as quickly as possible to cater for the rush of passengers which I am sure would result if that were the case.
The Deputy is a late admirer of Michael O'Leary.
He gets a mention everywhere.
He does; he is engaging in all kinds of ways. It sounds like a fairy tale.
They do it elsewhere.
I do not know about free travel or inducements but I hope the new buses, which were well due, and the ones that we will get this year will continue to act as an inducement, but a freeze on bus fares—
I did not suggest that. I said as an incentive on new routes.
I am not considering that at present.
Is the Minister aware that the traffic jams in Dublin are costing commerce in the city £1.5 billion per year? We pay £5 million to Dublin Bus and it would pay this city and the economy to seriously increase the amount of money we pay directly from the Exchequer for public transport. When the next tranche of funds is due will the Minister look at the £1.5 billion we are losing and see how that could be reduced by giving a direct subsidy to the transport companies?
I do not believe that Bus Átha Cliath would make a profit. That notion was abroad for some time. The subsidy must be kept within reasonable bounds. The mix of endeavouring to fund and produce a good public transport system with good infrastructure and at the same time keep fares reasonable is a difficult one to balance.