Eamon Ryan: Free public transport would 'increase level of unnecessary trips'

People Before Profit’s Bríd Smith said: "The bulk of journeys undertaken by older people at present under the current free travel scheme would probably be labelled ‘unnecessary’ by the same research."

Eamon Ryan cited unspecified research to support the claim that making fares free would increase the level of unnecessary trips. File picture Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin

Any increase in passenger numbers if public transport was made free “would largely be achieved by reductions in active travel and an increased level of unnecessary trips”, according to the Minister for Transport.

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan, responding to a parliamentary question from People Before Profit’s Bríd Smith, said that an additional €540m in Exchequer funding would be required “at a minimum” annually and that free fares “would not substantially boost the sustainability of the transport system”.

It comes as the AA has also called for a free public transport trial to "test capacity and a genuine appetite for alternative modes of transport". Ms Smith had asked the minister if the current reduced fares on public transport would be sustained and if any consideration has been given to moving to providing fare-free public transport.

Mr Ryan cited unspecified research to support the claim that making fares free would increase the level of unnecessary trips.

“Further, that same research tells us that any increase in public transport demand due to free fares would largely be achieved by reductions in active travel and an increased level of unnecessary trips,” he said.

“Ultimately then, free fares would not substantially boost the sustainability of the transport system, primarily because passenger demand is much more sensitive to levels of service provision than it is to pricing.” 

However, Ms Smith said that this perspective “fundamentally misunderstands the purpose and aim of free public transport”.

“It will take people from cars, but often the main initial change in terms of percentages can be these so-called ‘unnecessary’ journeys; but this is actually another of Fare Free public transport’s great benefits,” she said."

The bulk of journeys undertaken by older people at present under the current free travel scheme would probably be labelled ‘unnecessary’ by the same research. It’s just a term to rubbish the actual real benefits of free public transport and minimise its potential good as a climate and social measure.

In his reply, Mr Ryan also said that the 20% reduction on PSO services would continue to the end of 2023 and that the provisions in the Budget are focused on existing fare initiatives and alternative policies to improve service provision across the country.

The Irish Examiner asked the Department of Transport for details of this research on the impact that free public transport fares would have. This was not received by time of publication.