Nash Slams Stalled Rollout of Fairer Commuter Fares for Louth and East Meath
11 July 2024
Nash Slams Stalled Rollout of Fairer Commuter Fares for Louth & East Meath
Drogheda, July 11, 2024 –
Deputy Ged Nash of Labour has slammed the delayed rollout of the new Dublin Commuter Zone which would have seen significant savings for Louth and East Meath commuters from September. Reacting to the latest missed deadline for implementation of fair fares for Drogheda and Laytown residents, the Labour TD for Louth & East Meath said:
“For too long, Drogheda, South Louth and East Meath-based train users have been cash-cows paying unjustifiably high adult daily, monthly and annual rates to use trains on the busiest line in the country. As I have continually pointed out, we have been forced to pay almost double the price for the same length of train journey as Wicklow commuters.
“After years campaigning and lobbying the National Transport Agency (NTA) and Minister for Transport to implement fair fares, we finally received confirmation this January that Drogheda and Laytown would be included in the new Dublin Commuter Zone by September 2024.
“This would have seen a massive saving for commuters, students and working-families at a time when incomes are already stretched by a sustained cost-of-living crisis. For example, the anticipated new fare system would have reduced the cost of a single train journey from Drogheda, Co Louth, to Dublin Connolly station from €11.95 to €6.
“So this week’s announcement by the NTA that the rollout of fairer fares will not proceed until the first quarter of 2025 is another hammer-blow for Louth & East Meath households. The delay in implementing a fairer fare structure is unacceptable at this stage and the NTA must urgently get their act together.
“At a time when we need to slash our carbon emissions, many commuters will now have no choice but to continue driving to work at worst or traveling to other train stations at best to benefit from lower fares.
“Louth & East Meath commuters need immediate relief from these unreasonable fares in advance of the upcoming Budget. I am calling on the Minister for Transport to directly intervene and take action to expedite this process. Addressing this issue promptly is essential to support the thousands of people who rely on public transport daily and for those who wish to commute in a more sustainable matter.
Ends.