Bus regulations ‘hitting private firms’

ANTI-COMPETITIVE bus regulations are favouring State companies and undermining private firms, a report said yesterday.

The study, for the Coach, Tourism and Transport Council, found that Government subsidies granted only to State companies and restrictive licensing arrangements for private operators undermined the competitive position of Ireland’s private bus and coach transport businesses.

In addition, liberalisation of the bus sector had stalled and there was an absence of official government data on the situation, the research by Goodbody Economic Consultants said.