Overhaul of rural transport ‘a new start’
The 35 firms currently running the service will be replaced by 18 transport co-ordination units (TCUs) across the country.
For the first time, local government will have a role in the planning of rural transport. The TCUs will be mostly based in local authority regions and councils will co-ordinate the running of transport services within their regions.
The operation of the services will be overseen by the National Transport Authority.
Only the 35 organisations already involved will be eligible to apply to run the new units. It is anticipated the new programme will be in operation by February of next year.
As part of the reform, each local authority will prepare annual rural transport plans which the TCUs will have to work to.
The overhaul is part of a restructuring of the RTP and the publication of a report entitled Strengthening Connections in Rural Ireland, yesterday.
“These reforms represent a new start for rural transport in Ireland and will enhance the transport offering right across the country,” said Mr Kelly.
“The current RTP is not achieving its potential and it needs a new structure to do this. We want the RTP to become a permanent and lasting part of the public transport system in Ireland and these reforms will allow us to do this.
“Access to transport is a major quality of life issue — especially for elderly people. This will give a lifeline to many communities in tackling the very serious problem of rural isolation and represents a major overhaul of the RTP but one that will lead to major improvements.”
The TCUs will also be expected to maintain databases of people with specific transport needs.
There will also be a new category of hackney licences — the local area hackney licence.
Gerry Murphy, chief executive of the National Transport Authority, the lead agency overseeing the programme, welcomed the changes.
“There is now a clear path set out to protect and sustain rural transport services into the future,” he said.
“This plan will position rural transport within a national network of integrated public transport and will safeguard those vital transport services that the people of rural Ireland need.
“New structures will maintain the focus on social inclusion, with stronger links into local policy making by local authorities throughout the country.”
The RTP was formerly established in 2006 and carries out over 1.3m passenger journeys a year.
It costs just over €16m per year to run, with €10m of that coming from the exchequer.
A value-for-money review published in 2012 was highly critical of the programme’s organisational structure and pointed to high administration costs.
A process to allow the amalgamation of the existing 35 companies into the 18 TCUs will now be put in place, with the TCUs to be up and running in 2014. All existing services will remain in place in the interim.
Mr Kelly said there are many parts of the country that have no public transport and the new plan would aim to tackle the issue.
“We want to leave alegacy that will ensure these services will survive and grow into the future.
“This will be a positive step forward for transport in Ireland.”
The reorganisation was broadly welcomed by the Rural Transport Network, the umbrella body that represents the current 35 transport companies.
However, the chairwoman of the network, Fiona O’Shea, said the reduction in the number of transport providers would bring challenges.
“I do not see this simply as a cost-saving exercise,” she said.
“While we recognise the challenges in the reduction in the number of companies, there is room for amalgamation.
“This is about making the service more effective and efficient and we welcome that. We must also acknowledge that Minister Kelly engaged in consultation with us and listened to our views.”
35 rural transport companies to be replaced by 18 transport co-ordination units;
Current 24% spent on administration to be cut;
New units to be in operation from Feb 2014;
Current system costs the taxpayer €10m.
