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Northern Ireland’s Infrastructure Minister, Liz Kimmins, has stood by her decision to maintain a freeze on bus and train fares across the region, despite cautionary messages from Translink about potential cuts to public transport services and discount schemes. The publicly owned transport provider, which operates independently from the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) at Stormont, has warned that continuing to freeze fares could negatively impact its ability to sustain current service levels.
Kimmins defended the fare freeze, noting that increasing ticket prices would likely deter people from using public transport, particularly at a time when many households are under financial stress due to rising fuel costs. “For every decision there is a consequence and in this case I feel that the consequences of increasing fares would have been far more detrimental than freezing fares,” she said. The minister also stressed her commitment to collaborating with Translink to find workable solutions moving forward.
Translink’s Chief Executive, Chris Conway, has highlighted the financial strain the fare freeze has caused, estimating that it has resulted in a revenue loss exceeding £20 million over the past nine years. Conway previously described the intended service reductions as “very disappointing and concerning” for passengers but emphasized they were necessary to avoid placing Translink in an unsustainable financial position. He further noted that recent subsidies from the Department for Infrastructure have been lower compared to other regions in the UK and Ireland, and that Translink’s public service agreement has not received funding from DfI in recent years.
Political opposition has emerged from the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) Deborah Erskine, who criticized the fare freeze policy, stating that it is unreasonable to expect Translink to maintain current service levels without increased income. Erskine expressed concerns about cuts affecting vital connections in areas such as Fermanagh and South Tyrone, saying it will have a damaging effect on communities. While acknowledging the challenging financial climate, she called for fair funding from the UK Treasury and advocated for the expansion of the public transport network rather than reductions. Meanwhile, the budget situation remains uncertain as Stormont has yet to finalize a multi-year budget, leaving departments uncertain about their spending limits for the upcoming years
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