One in three people living in the west of Ireland would make greater use of public transport if it was more affordable polls have shown.
The Coach Tourism Transport Council of Ireland (CTTC) has this week released results of research commissioned by them through polling company Ireland Thinks.
Among these results, 32% of respondents in the Connacht-Ulster region said that they would make greater use of public transport if fare were lower.
That is compared with 59% of respondents in the Dublin region, 43% in Munster, and 37% of those living in Leinster.
This poll shows that more people would use public transport if the 20% fare reduction scheme applied to all mass passenger operators and their customers.
43% in the poll said they would be more inclined to use public transport if there was a 20% reduction in fares. That response was even stronger among young people, with 60% of those aged 18 – 34 answering positively.
The 20% reduction in fares currently only applies to Public Service Obligation (PSO) services including Dublin Bus, Luas, DART and Irish Rail.
A significant demographic comprising over 71% of the population, primarily residing outside the greater Dublin area, currently finds itself excluded from this scheme which was brought in by government as a cost-of-living measure in Budget 2023.
Chairperson of CTTC, Willie Martin said “Our research demonstrates a strong alignment between fare reductions, consumer usage of buses and environmental sustainability, presenting a viable avenue for government to expedite progress toward their net-zero goals.”
“A particularly encouraging aspect of the survey is the indication that young people, when introduced to affordable public transport options early on, are more likely to embrace and sustain this mode of commuting in the future.”
“This generational shift holds promise for fostering a culture of sustainable transportation practices across Ireland.”
“The many advantages of encouraging more and more people away from private vehicles are there to be seen and the commercial bus sector stands willing and able to play a part in ensuring we reach our sustainability targets in the future.”
He added that private bus operators now need support from the government to make that vision a reality.
“The results for the Connacht region bear this out, with one-third indicating that they would use more public transport if it was an affordable option, compared to 59% in the Dublin region where public transport options are more frequent, readily available and integrated.”
