Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan
This morning.
Eamon Ryan has he is not convinced that waiving fares is a “silver bullet” environmental solution due to the level of funding public transport required.
Via The Times:
In response to a parliamentary question from Bríd Smith, the People-Before-Profit TD, who said that Covid-19 provided insight into the funding required in the absence of fare revenue.
An additional €370 million was needed to continue public transport operations in 2020 as Covid caused a collapse in revenue.
…He said schemes that introduced free public transport can also have “unintended consequences” including a significant reduction in walking and cycling.
Smith, a member of the Oireachtas committee on climate action, said free public transport was a “huge advantage” and “improves quality of life significantly”. She told The Times: “This idea that it is not beneficial because it will reduce active travel, I think it is just because the minister wants to put his funding towards cycle path and greenway
Free public travel not big enough carrot for commuters, says Eamon Ryan (The Times)