Parents and commuters rail against recent hikes to train fares – Boland, Neville, Timmins

Parents of children who use public transport to get to school and college, as well as regular commuters, are unhappy about recent rail fare increases, saying they have been most impacted, a group of Fine Gael TDs have said.

Families have been in touch with their respective Fine Gael TDs in Dublin, Kildare and Wicklow to highlight that fares have increased by 200% for children travelling to school since Monday.

Fine Gael TD for Dublin Fingal West, Deputy Grace Boland, who represents Balbriggan and Skerries commuters who have been included in Zone 2 said: “One parent advised me that on the old Leap fare their child paid €0.65 per journey, amounting to €217.10 per school year. Under the new fare structure, the yearly fare will be €1.95 per journey, which amounts to a hefty €651.30 per school year.

“This represents a 300% fare increase for children travelling to school. This puts immense pressure on families who are already trying to make ends meet and encourage their children to use public transport from a young age.”

Representing Kildare North, Deputy Joe Neville highlighted that: “The NTA states that the new fare structure should ‘attract new customers and encourage existing customers to use public transport’, but the reality is that for young commuters in Zone 2, this will have a completely opposite effect.

“I take the train to work myself and have always been someone who has trumpeted the benefits of public transport and the need for greater investment to encourage more people to get on board the train or bus. This is as an unnecessary backwards step in the Government’s push for greater public transport use.”

Wicklow TD, Deputy Edward Timmins said: “Commuters of north Wicklow in areas including Greystones and Kilcoole, along with Skerries, Balbriggan, Kilcock and Naas are subsidising the reduction in fares for other areas who are welcoming the fare reduction.

“Fares to Wicklow town in Zone 3 have also increased from €5.95 to €7. Passengers using a Leap Card to travel from Greystones to Dublin have had an increase from €3.00 per journey to €3.90. This is a 30% increase per journey. Over the year, passengers travelling into Dublin five days per week must now pay an additional €468 per annum. This compares to a passenger from Bray who will only pay €2 per journey – almost half the price. “

The three Fine Gael TDs are calling on the NTA and Minister for Transport to put in place a cap on children’s daily fares to acknowledge the unjust proportional charges on younger commuters who must take the train twice a day for five days a week during term time.