Public transport fares freeze as Derry Council calls for fares to be scrapped

Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, has taken the decision to freeze fares on the public transport network due to the ongoing cost of living crisis facing individuals and families across the North.

Speaking on her decision, Ms Mallon said: “As Minister for Infrastructure, I have taken the decision to freeze fares on our public transport network at this time to ensure that our citizens who rely on public transport will not face additional pressures on their cost of travel especially when citizens and families are facing the challenges of the cost living crisis, with food, fuel and energy prices climbing.

“I hope this decision will go some way towards alleviating the problems many are facing at this challenging time. As leaders we absolutely must do all in our power to help our communities and particularly through the current living cost crisis.

"Public transport will not add pressures to those spiralling costs for people on my watch.

“That said, I also hope that this measure may also encourage more people to use public transport as we make Northern Ireland a sustainable place to live, work."

Councillors across the district have welcomed the freeze as the cost of living crisis continues to cause financial strain to many families.

Fellow SDLP Councillor, Brian Tierney, has welcomed the move and said the price freeze would be a welcome boost and would encourage more people to use public transport.

“This move from SDLP Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon will be a welcome reprieve for families across the North in the wake of rising bills and other costs," Councillor Tierney said.

"Many people rely on public transport to get to work, to visit friends and family, do their shopping or access vital services like medical treatment and they will take comfort from this announcement, safe in the knowledge that another price hike is not coming their way in the near future.

“Consumer prices have risen an average of 5.5 percent over the last year and indications seem to be that they will only rise further, families are finding it really tough to get by.

"Everywhere you turn there are reports of people being forced to rely on food banks in greater and greater numbers, many are struggling to find the money to pay their electricity or heating bills and the support coming forward from the Executive, even prior to its collapse, has been minimal.

“Guarding against rises in the cost of public transport in the face of skyrocketing fuel costs will also give people more options in how they travel.

"Minister Mallon has introduced a number of measures to encourage people to leave their vehicles at home to protect the environment from the harmful emissions they produce.

"Rising costs are hurting families across the North and this important intervention from Minister Mallon will make a real difference to people here."

Sinn Féin MLA, Pádraig Delargy, also welcomed the announcement of the freeze. The Foyle MLA and member of the Infrastructure Committee said: “I welcome news that fares for buses and trains operated by Translink will be frozen.

“Given that ordinary people and working families continue to feel the pressure of rising living costs, this will ensure they face no additional cost when travelling.

“It is important that every effort is made to tackle the cost-of-living crisis and keep money in people’s pockets.”

The freeze comes only days after Derry and Strabane councillors unanimously voted to pass the motion that would call for free public transport fares.

The motion, passed at their Council meeting last Friday (February 25), was brought forward by Independent Councillor, Paul Gallagher.

The motion stated that Council supports the introduction of a Fare-Free public transport within the Derry City and Strabane Council District and that this will greatly reduce the high cost of living immediately, benefits low-income families, mitigates against economic inactivity, reduces road congestion and is good for the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

It also stated that in the Derry City and Strabane council area, estimates from the 2018 Labour Force Survey indicate that there are 50,000 economically inactive people or unemployed from age 16 and above across the district. 

Councillor Gallagher proposed that public transport, free at the point of entry, lifts the hard border that economic inactivity creates at these people’s front doors, allowing people to move freely around the district to work, seek healthcare, seek employment and socialise. 

Council agreed to write to Minister Nichola Mallon to introduce the proposal.

Speaking at the Council meeting, Councillor Gallagher thanked his fellow members for their support and said this motion is very much about disparity in wages and about the working poor.

"It's about access to jobs and the low wage economy that we face in the North West," he said. "It is about access to health, we saw very recently around PCR testing, that people in Strabane couldn't get access to them, had to travel to them and couldn't travel. This is about low car ownership, poor infrastructure and this is  also good for the environment."