Govt announces plans to abolish free-travel restrictions

[PaulM]

Originally Posted by breakingnews.ie

The Government has announced plans to abolish rush-hour restrictions on the free-travel scheme for pensioners and disabled people.

At present, the 600,000 people entitled to free travel on public transport cannot use their entitlements at peak times on services in Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

However, Minister for Social and Family Affairs Seamus Brennan said today that the restriction would be abolished from Monday, September 25.

He said the Government was in negotiation with CIÉ to agree on an increase in the €58m paid each year to the company for the scheme.

They really better be out by the next election. This is blatant vote grabbing at it's finest.

[markpb]

Such rubbish.

His reasoning for this was that many people at retiring ages are still working but they were being forced away from public transport. It's not like they could pay for their trip.....

On the other hand, it does mean more cash for DB and IR and I can't see many pensioners braving rush hour buses.

[ACustomer]

This is crazy populist rubbish at its worst. When so-called "free" travel was introduced a couple of decades ago (it's not really free - someone pays), the trains - unlike the buses - were hardly ever full even at peak hours and so excluding over 65s made little sense. Now it's a different story.

If you are really retired, then you should have little reason to travel at peak hours (other than very occasionally). If you are over 65 and have a job (and possibly a pension as well) you can afford to fork out for a peak hour fare. In fact there is a case for moving in the opposite direction to that proposed: why should pensioners be entitled to free peak hour travel on congested trains?

And there isn't a journalist in the country who will see through this nonsense.

[constellation]

Originally Posted by Paul Mulcahy

They really better be out by the next election. This is blatant vote grabbing at it's finest.

Looks like the other shower agree. I don't think they quite grasp the concept of being the "opposition".

Originally Posted by RTE News

Fine Gael welcomes travel pass extensions

09 August 2006 22:41

Fine Gael's Transport Spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell has welcomed the announcement of an extension to the free travel scheme.

From 25 September the Government is to lift morning and evening peak time restrictions for holders of free travel passes.

Deputy Mitchell has welcomed the move but said new buses must be provided for it to make any difference in urban areas.
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The Minister for Social Affairs, Séamus Brennan, said the lifting of the restrictions would benefit 600,000 people.

Mr Brennan said the lifting of the restrictions, which were first introduced in 1967, means that in future there will be no limits placed on the amount of free travel eligible people take or at what time they take it.

The peak time access restrictions have applied up to now on all Dublin Bus services and on Bus Éireann city services in Cork and Limerick.

The rules specified that access to these services for pass holders was restricted Monday to Friday from 7am to 9am and from 4.30pm to 6.30pm.

There have also been restrictions on Friday evening travel from 4pm to 7pm within a 20-mile radius of Dublin, Cork and Limerick.

[Derek Wheeler]

First and foremost, I doubt enforcement of this "condition" was ever implemented successfully on any of the services quoted.

Its was never an issue on the railway or Luas as far as I know. The only ticket that I ever bought that had similar restrictions, was the one day rambler ticket that entitled you to unlimited travel (within a certain zone) on both bus and rail. But that was back in the 80s. If there was a restriction on that, then I assume a similar restriction was applied to free travel pass holders.??????? (back then, so when was it lifted?????)

But Brennan's latest announcement got media coverage and it was designed to do just that. Its vote grabbing at its most desperate. The opposition (if thats what you want to call Olivia Mitchell) are too frightened to criticise it, as they are locked into the very same game as the Government. As FF have intimated a 12 month run in to the next General Election, expect many more similar "initiatives" related to public transport. None of which will actually deliver any real relief to the crisis that exists with regular users.

As this restriction had nothing to do with the rail network or Luas and its "lifting" should pose no problem to said networks, P11 won't be offering any media contribution.

[Mark Gleeson]

As far as I know there has never been a restriction on rail services at any time for a free travel pass

Free travel passes are only valid on published timetabled trains they are not valid on special services charters etc. The passenger must hold a valid ticket at all times which can only be issued on the day of travel upon presentation of the pass at the booking office. No advance sales are permitted.

I assume the non PSO routes are exempt so the 747/748 and nightlink are not free travel pass

One thing is clear the true cost is not being recouped by IE and DB, its not shown as ticket revenues in the accounts distorting the true loss made

[alek smart]

Whats needed here is some forensic accountancy as Mark Gleeson nods in the direction of.
€58 Million to cover the annual movements of 600,000 persons.
Now....is that 600,000 Pass Holders OR Persons included under the scheme...ie: Spouses,Companions and others...?
The Free Traves Pass Scheme has been operated for decades with very little in the way of accuracy or accountability.

In fact it was`nt until the arrival of the late Michael Mc Donnell to the Chairmanship of CIE that some form of interest began to be shown in actually quantifying the travelling patterns of the Free Travel Pass holders.

Mr Mc Donnell instituted the first actual headcount of Pass Holders by introducing the requirement for DART Social Welfare customers to actually accquire a ticket,thus being accounted for with a degree of accuracy.

It is an excellent scheme but it simply cannot continue if its not quantified and costed as to its ACTUAL usage.

To have a plain,non photo ID`d Pass issued in perpetuity is fiscal suicide and my guess is that with the imminent All-Ireland availibility of Free-Travel we in the Republic will have to upgrade to a situation similar to the Translink Photo Verified Concession Card which is fully trackable and also renewable every 2 years I believe.

Over to you Mary.....

[Derek Wheeler]

Mary says....you may well be spot on.

[Nigel Fitzgricer]

The free travel pass for the elderly should be means tested.

This was a classic pre-electoral stunt by FF which may well backfire on them. Most of the 30,000 millionaires in Ireland are over 60. To hear Blessed Saint Seamo going on about "old people have just as much right to travel..." as if they are being padlocked inside their homes by euthanasia intent commuters.

It's pretty unfair to people in their 20 and 30's commuting long hours and trying to get the money to buy a place to live, and now they have to give up their seat on public transport at rush hour so some millionaire grandaddy from Foxrock can go feed the ducks in Stephen's Green.

I was talking to one guy here who never took a bus or train in his life and can't wait for the Western Rail Corridor to be opened because he'll qualify for his pass so he'll "be using the buses and trains all the time..."

I have no issue with older people who are on a limited income getting the free pass. It's a great thing actually. But older people who are wealthy should pay their own fare. This is reverse discrimination against commuters when you think about it really.

[Thomas J Stamp]

Just to put a bit of meat onto the bones Templemore station inputs €8,000 a year into IE by way of "Warrents" ie social welfare free passes.

[Nigel Fitzgricer]

So we do have a transport police afterall...

[Thomas J Stamp]

Actually no, Garda college brings in €150,000 (Social club get the tickets).