[Article] Integrated ticket system ‘a mess’

[comcor]

Integrated ticket system ‘a mess’
By �ine Kerr, Political Reporter

THE proposed integrated ticketing system for public transport has been labelled a “monumental mess� as it has already cost up to €10 million in consultancy fees.

According to Labour’s transport spokeswoman RoisÃ*n Shortall, the system, which has a budget of €42.7m, has the potential to evolve into a “sagaâ€� similar to the Government’s unused electronic voting machines.

She maintained a “turf war� between the State companies had resulted in mass delays and continued difficulties since the integrated system was initiated in 2002.





Her comments followed confirmation that Iarnród Éireann and Dublin Bus plan to introduce smartcards which passengers will not be able to use for both bus and rail services.

“An integrated ticketing system is not rocket science. Every other European city has a system, but here it is turning into a monumental mess,� Ms Shortall said.

“Around €10m has already been spent but there is so little to show for that money. We are no nearer to having an integrated system than we were five years ago.�

She said it had been a mistake to originally make the Rail Procurement Agency (RPA) responsible for introducing the integrated system as the agency did not have the required expertise.

Although a new committee has since been appointed to oversee the introduction of the system, she reasoned that the Government should consult with the experts involved in establishing and maintaining the highly successful system operated in London.

In his report last year, the Comptroller and Auditor General John Purcell said a failed public procurement process undertaken by the RPA had cost almost 1m and further delayed the project.

His report stated that a contributory factor in the cost overruns and delays was the “underlying tensions between the CIÉ companies and the RPA�.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Transport yesterday said a report submitted by the committee overseeing the introduction of integrated before Christmas is being considered by Transport Minister Martin Cullen.

She said other European cities had first introduced individual smartcards before an integrated ticketing system was established.

http://www.examiner.ie/irishexaminer...790-qqqx=1.asp

I would also like to comment that what the spokeswoman said in the last paragraph is horse****.