Warning rural transport plan may be ‘unworkable’

Private coach operators have warned the Government’s plan for a major revamp of public transport in rural areas could be unworkable.

The Coach Tourism & Transport Council (CTTC) claims promises by junior transport minister, Alan Kelly, to integrate a range of existing services which provide transport in rural areas could be undermined by a court challenge to the operation of the school bus scheme.

Mr Kelly yesterday announced details of the plan, which he claimed would provide people living in isolated parts of rural Ireland with improved public transport services.

He said the integration of a number of existing transport providers such as the school transport and HSE non-acute hospital schemes as well as some Bus Éireann services and the rural transport programme would eliminate crossover and duplication of services.

However, he acknowledged the plan presented difficulties in relation to child protection issues, industrial relations, and the potential need for new legislation.

A company, Student Transport Scheme, is taking a High Court challenge against the Department of Education over the scheme which is operated under contract by Bus Éireann to provide school transport for 123,000 children.

STS, which wants to tender for the scheme, is arguing that its current operation infringes various EU directives and regulations.

CTTC chief Gerry Mullins said it was possible the impact of the High Court ruling might mean the school bus scheme, which represented almost 85% of funding for transport in rural areas, could not be included in the integration proposed by Mr Kelly.

The CTTC also criticised its exclusion from a high-level committee being established by the minister to oversee implementation of the project. It will consist of representatives of the National Transport Authority, various government departments, Bus Éireann, the HSE, and community groups such as Pobal.

The NTA will have responsibility for monitoring the integration and it is expected the identity of six pilot schemes will be chosen within two months.

Mr Kelly expressed concern that there was no official co-ordination between the existing operators despite the fact that over €200m is spent on such services each year.

The minister pointed out a recent pilot programme in Donegal had resulted in 25% savings in transport costs of the local health service by working with a rural transport group.

Mr Kelly said he believed annual savings of €30m could be achieved through the full integration of existing services.

He claimed a value-for-money review of the rural transport programme had highlighted the need for a reduction in the administration costs which accounted for 23% of the scheme as well as the need for greater transport expertise in service provision.

Just €1.1m of the €15.1m needed to run the programme in 2009 came from fares as over 65% of passengers have free travel passes.