Free public transport

Emme · 16-07-2019 12:15pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

The FTP is issued to those disabled and those over 66. It is also used by their spouse if travelling with them. Now those over 70 need a medical cert to obtain a driving licence, so it could be considered a right that they be given a FTP if they are put off the road. Others get the FTP through disability which is only right.

It would be reasonable to limit the use of the FTP to post 9:30 am but there may need to be exceptions if, say, a train leaves at 9:15 am and the next one is not until 12:30. I'm not sure how that can be solved.

However, highly subsidised public transport makes a lot of sense if it cuts down on congestion in cities and towns.

What about congestion on public transport? It will drive working commuters off public transport and back into their cars because in a car you get a seat. People do not want to arrive at work exhausted, they are having to work extra hours or through their lunch to make up for lateness caused by regularly delayed trains. These days trains seem to be delayed 10 minutes arriving and departing. Driving is starting to look very attractive.

Sam Russell · 16-07-2019 12:29pm

Emme wrote: »

What about congestion on public transport? It will drive working commuters off public transport and back into their cars because in a car you get a seat. People do not want to arrive at work exhausted, they are having to work extra hours or through their lunch to make up for lateness caused by regularly delayed trains. These days trains seem to be delayed 10 minutes arriving and departing. Driving is starting to look very attractive.

There is little excuse for trains being late. Irish Rail set the timetables, and baring accidents, the trains should run to the schedule drawn up by IR. Delays are caused by unforeseen events and if delays occur every day, they can no longer be unforeseen.

Delaying the validity of the FTP till after 9:30 am would solve much of the problems you mention. However, in rural areas and on non-urban services, some flexibility might be required.

If P&R facilities were more common, then use the car as far as the P&R and travel the last bit on PT. Free PT would make this very attractive.

magicbastarder · 16-07-2019 12:43pm

Sam Russell wrote: »

Delaying the validity of the FTP till after 9:30 am would solve much of the problems you mention.

until i hear actual figures on how many people on the free pass are taking up space on these routes, i'm going to hold judgement on how serious an issue there is to address.

Sam Russell · 16-07-2019 12:46pm

magicbastarder wrote: »

until i hear actual figures on how many people on the free pass are taking up space on these routes, i'm going to hold judgement on how serious an issue there is to address.

The original FTP was not valid during peak hours. I am just suggesting that a late start would be no great imposition. Of course, school kids should get free travel to school to help stop the chaos of four wheel drive armour plated child carriers causing dangerous congestion outside schools.

Zebra3 · 17-07-2019 8:51pm

Maybe they have EU passports.

Yer Da sells Avon · 17-07-2019 9:42pm

Americans can speak English - they just do it wrongly. Also, you can't know for a fact that elderly Americans, Chinese, Indians, Filipinos, etc, arrived on a plane this morning and haven't worked and paid taxes here.

The number of free travel passes on certain routes surprised me alright. I think it's good that older people, carers and people with serious illnesses and disabilities have free access to public transport, but I think it would be a lot fairer if it was extended, especially to people travelling to and from work.

magicbastarder · 18-07-2019 12:11am

elderly asians and americans? am i living in the same city?
or am i asking sensible questions of an insensible post?

magicbastarder · 18-07-2019 1:12am

my question stands.
i know where the americas are.

18-07-2019 9:04am

How do you know it’s a free travel pass they’re scanning and not a pre paid card?

Yer Da sells Avon · 18-07-2019 9:26am

If their faces are covered, how do you know they're Asian or African? Also, how do you know they've never worked here?

Emme · 18-07-2019 9:49am

I didn't realise the FTP extended as far as it did, this thread has educated me. My issue is that there isn't enough room on public transport to accommodate FTP holders. Perhaps if it was managed better (ie fewer people qualified for it) then Irish Rail and Dublin Bus could provide enough room on public transport for the OAPs who paid into the Irish system down the years, their carers and the disabled.

18-07-2019 10:53am

This article is over a year old but gives an insight into numbers. 900,000 Irish people are entitled to free travel, mainly pensioners. It would be interesting to know how many actually use it on a regular basis.

“The number of people availing of free travel has dramatically risen along with the ageing population over the past decade.

More than 900,000 Irish people, mainly pensioners, availed of free travel last year which is an increase of 42% since 2007 when 637,312 people had a free travel pass.

Ireland’s population has been getting steadily older since the 1980s, with over-65s seeing the largest increase in population in the last census, so the number eligible for free travel is expected to continue to rise.

Figures released to Fianna Fáil TD Robert Troy in a written question reveals that there are 908,675 customers in receipt of free travel.”

https://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/free-travel-for-nearly-1m-people-cost-77m-in-2017-469806.html

Louche Lad · 22-07-2019 8:42pm

A view from the US: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/a3xbj5/the-case-for-leaving-fare-beaters-alone-and-making-public-transit-free

Free public transport

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