The good and the bad of public transport around the country

This week’s INM/Mediahuis Irish regional newspapers’ column.

Michael Commane

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has been in the spotlight of late on comments he made about how the abolition of public transport fares would increase the number of unnecessary journeys. 

Minister Ryan’s comment was backed up by a report from the National Transport Authority, which found that the abolition of public transport fares would incentivise excessive travel. It also found that universal free travel would not encourage commuters out of their cars. What’s needed right now is a much improved public transport service.

I have mentioned before in this column that the new buses, which are currently being rolled out across rural Ireland are not fit for purpose as there is no place on them for bicycles. And this is something that is a retrograde step as the buses they are replacing had facility to carry bicycles.

I saw in the last fortnight first hand, the good and the bad of public transport in Ireland.

According to the the Bus Éireann timetable the designated time of departure for the bus I was taking was 10.29. I arrived at the stop at 10.24, which I thought was ample time. The bus had already departed. I made some enquiries and one reason I was given for the early departure was that all the ‘usuals’ had boarded so off went the driver. And that bus operates only one day per week.

That’s the bad news story. The good news story is how the rural transport network called Local Link is working.

I wanted to travel from a small village to a town to link with a train to Dublin. Bus Éireann serves the village with a bus on only one day per week.  Local Link operates the service twice weekly, which means the village has public transport three days a week to the nearest town. 

And to my surprise and delight I discovered that Local Link would pick me up at my hall door. That’s some service. And the icing on the cake, I was also able to take my fold-up bicycle with me and the service linked in with the train timetable. I am forever baffled how Bus Éireann does not talk with Iarnród Éireann before it publishes its timetables.

Anytime I have pointed out to Bus Éireann that there is not a seamless connection between bus and rail I’m told that they are two separate companies. It’s difficult, well nigh impossible, to attempt any sort of discussion with that type of mind set.

And there is only limited space for taking bicycles on the majority of Iarnród Éireann’s trains as most trains have the facility for taking at max four bicycles. And these are all relatively new trains. 

With the exception of the Dublin Cork and Dublin Belfast trains, bicycle capacity is reduced to a maximum of four spaces and some Dublin Cork trains are also limited to four bicycle spaces. Many trains have only space for two bicycles. It is beyond belief that the Luas has no facility for taking bicycles.

But the State has to take a bow for the free travel system that allows so many people to jump on and off trains, buses and boats and all for free. Is there another country on earth that offers a similar programme?