Ciarán Meers: Should Cork's buses be free?

Eliminating or reducing charges for public transport means little if your bus still gets stuck in traffic or the service is unreliable or non-existent, writes Ciarán Meers

The public transport system has a whole host of problems that make usage more difficult for ordinary riders, including the overall reliability of the service, with never-appearing ‘ghost buses’ making the schedule unreliable, and longer journeys as a result of inadequate bus lane infrastructure.

In January 2023, Cork City Council voted to send a motion to Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan calling for a fare-free bus route pilot scheme, with the logic of incentivising increased public transport usage. But when buses are still stuck in traffic, and there’s a severe lack of drivers, and services are generally unreliable, would this actually be the change that is desperately needed?

The main rationale for the move is that though cheaper than the car, buses and trains can be expensive when used daily, and removing fares would lessen financial impacts on frequent users — and present a handy incentive to hop on the bus more instead. While Cork’s bus riders come from all backgrounds and walks of life, many people who depend on it the most are those on lower incomes, and costs can add up week-on-week if multiple family members are using it several times a day.