Labour condemns threat to ‘essential’ Rural Transport Scheme

THE threat to the Rural Transport Programme (RTP) has been condemned by the Labour Party.

Transport spokesperson Tommy Broughan said he and his colleague Seán Sherlock were briefed on the issue last week by Jack Roche, Brian Bonham and Damien Tobin of the RTP.

He said they highlighted the outstanding role the network provides for rural communities. “The RTP received just €10 million in funding from the Department of Transport in 2008. Yet, operators within the network provided over 1.2 million passenger journeys in rural areas... People have simply no other public or private transport options to go about their daily lives,” he said. Mr Broughan said it is an essential service and particularly important for senior and other vulnerable citizens who would otherwise be completely isolated and it is also an important source of local employment with 80 drivers directly employed by RTP companies and a further 657 privately employed.