PUBLIC TRANSPORT FARE increases are likely to decrease the number of passengers using trains and buses, the National Transport Authority (NTA) has confirmed. 

Earlier this month, the NTA announced the ’90-minute fare’ that applies for Leap cardholders travelling in the Greater Dublin area will increase from €2 to €2.30. 

Adult fares on buses and trains nationwide are set to increase by an average of 15%. However, a meeting of the Oireachtas Transport Committee heard from TDs today who said fare increases would amount to over 30% in some areas. 

The fare increases come into effect from January. 

Chair of the committee, Fine Gael’s Michael Murphy asked Jeremy Ryan, the NTA’s Director of Public Transport Services if research had been carried out on the impact fare increases may have on public transport usage. 

Fall-off in passenger numbers comes with fare hikes 

Ryan said its research shows for every 10% increase in fares, there is a fall-off in passenger numbers of 3%. He noted that many of the services at present are operating at capacity. 

He said he is “optimistic” there will not be a “significant decrease” in passenger numbers because of the fare increases next year. 

However, Fianna Fáil Senator Lorraine Clifford-Lee took issue with Ryan’s comments about decreasing passenger numbers. 

“Where do you think these people will go?” she asked, telling Ryan that people will return to their cars. 

She said the road network, particularly for her constituents of north Dublin, is at capacity, stating that this move to increase fares will only increase traffic congestion. 

The senator was one of a number of politicians who was critical of the announcement of the fare increases, with many stating that there was no consultation or prior warning that fare hikes were coming. 

Hugh Creegan, Deputy CEO of the NTA, said there are plans to improve the frequency on the north Dublin line, but said this won’t be done next year.

He told the senator that he “hopes” something can be done the following year, perhaps with an additional service added during peak hours. 

Clifford-Lee, unimpressed with the response, said the people of north Dublin were being hit by fare hikes, and they will not be seeing any benefit from it, if that is the case. 

He said the fare increases will generate National Transport Authority €70 million in additional revenue. 

The committee was told that NTA revenue has fallen by 23% since 2019, with members being told there were a number of factors, and these included the government’s decisions to reduce fares for young adults and children under 9, as well as changes made to the free travel scheme. 

When asked by Fine Gael TD Grace Boland if it will review its decision, Creegan said the NTA had made its determination and that he did not envisage a review being carried out. 

Boland said she found the fare hikes “unacceptable”, and also criticised the NTA for not publishing its fare determination review for 2025 before making its announcement earlier this month. 

Government TDs ‘crying crocodile tears’

Speaking after the NTA’s appearance in the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Labour Spokesperson for Transport Ciarán Ahern said it was incredibly frustrating listening to government-supporting TDs and senators “crying crocodile tears over public transport fare hikes that are a direct result of funding decisions made by the government they are supporting”.

“Government backbenchers who genuinely feel strongly should pull their support for the government if this decision isn’t reversed,” said Ahern. 

He said demand for public transport services is at record levels precisely because of the initiatives that have been taken to reduce fares in recent years. He said fare hikes represent a step in the wrong direction.

Fare hikes will lead to fewer people using public transport and more cars on our roads, he said, which will only contribute to even greater congestion in cities and on commuter roads, added Ahern. 

The Taoiseach was questioned further on the fare hikes in the Dáil. 

Micheál Martin said Ireland has maintained an effective eight-year fare freeze, stating that it is a matter of balancing affordability with a financially sustainable transport system that’s able to fund service improvements and network expansion.