Rural transport reforms on the way

A major reform of rural transport services is due to be announced today by the Government.

Alan Kelly, the public transport minister, will confirm plans for the integration of school bus and HSE transport schemes with some Bus Éireann services and the rural transport programme.

It follows the findings of a value-for-money review of existing rural transport services which criticises administration costs associated with implementing the programme.

The report, also due out today, raises concerns that administration costs have risen dramatically in recent years, at a time when the level of services has remained largely unchanged.

Almost €10m is available for the rural transport programme this year, though the figure represents an 8% reduction on its budget in 2011.

About €160m is spent on the school bus scheme and a further €30m on HSE non-acute transport services.

An ongoing problem has been the inability of many people to access public transport services, despite the operation of school transport or other transport services funded by the State in their areas.

The overall aim of the reforms will be to reduce duplication of services while increasing efficiency and maintaining existing services.

According to the latest figures, more than half of all passenger journeys are made by people over 56 years, 62% are free travel pass holders and 13% are passengers who require assistance to travel.

In many cases, it is expected that in the future, pensioners, schoolchildren hospital patients and other commuters will be able to use the same service.

As part of the reform, stakeholder organisations will be invited to take part in local working groups to explore the opportunities for transport integration in their region.

Separately, the minister also recently announced plans for the introduction of a rural hackney licence as part of a reform of the taxi industry in recognition of poor public transport services in certain rural communities.

Meanwhile, Mr Kelly has rejected claims that additional services on the Ballybrophy-Limerick railway line are costing an extra €20,000 per day.

The route, which serves Mr Kelly’s North Tipperary constituency, is one of the least used in the country with just 73 passengers using it on an average daily basis.

However, a spokesperson for Mr Kelly said the cost of introducing several services on the line was just 5% of the €20,000 estimate.

A report commissioned by Iarnród Éireann, which was published last week, noted that the route could be considered for closure due to low traffic levels.

However, it also acknowledged that its future could be based as a feeder service for Nenagh and Roscrea to intercity services serving Ballybrophy.

Last month, the Irish Examiner revealed that Iarnród Éireann notified the Department of Transport last year that it is considering the closure of some lightly used lines such as the Ballybrophy-Limerick route.