Kids in north Dublin still paying over the odds for train journeys – Boland

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has failed to deliver real relief for families in north county Dublin as the school year commences, despite undertaking to do so, a Fine Gael TD has said.

Deputy Grace Boland, who represents Dublin Fingal West said: “Before April, children travelling to school between Balbriggan, Skerries and Rush/Lusk paid just €6.50 per week.

“Now, the same short journey costs €10.60 a week — a 63% increase on families in just a few months.

“The NTA is trying to spin the new weekly fare as a discount, but for those travelling between Skerries and Balbriggan, it is only €0.90 less than the already inflated Leap fare of €11.50. That’s no meaningful relief at all for parents.”

Under the new structure:

• The Rush/Lusk to Balbriggan Leap weekly fare would be €15. The new ticket price of €10.60 is still far above the €6.50 families were paying before April.
• Bray to Rush/Lusk: A local journey from Rush/Lusk–Balbriggan costs €1.30 single / or €10.60 weekly. A child can cross the entire county for just 65 cent single, so this new fare represents no value.

“The fares introduced in April are a fiasco and do not reflect the distances being travelled by local schoolchildren. It highlights the blatant unfairness of Skerries and Balbriggan being excluded from the Zone 1 travel area. Families here are being penalised and are effectively subsidising commuters in other zones, paying higher fares and for access to services which they do not need such as the Luas.”

Deputy Boland has once-again called on the Minister for Transport and the NTA to:

• Include Skerries and Balbriggan in Zone 1,
• Introduce a 5-day child ticket to reflect the school week, and
• Provide a rail-only ticket for families who do not use bus or Luas services.

“Local families deserve fair fares. The current system is penalising people commuting to and from Fingal West and is a disincentive to using public transport. Cop on has to be exercised here.”