WHERE IS THE TRANSPORT MINISTER?

PRESS STATEMENT FROM THE LABOUR PARTY, KILDARE SOUTH ON MEETING WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORT AUTHORITY IN LEINSTER HOUSE 12/12/18
On Wednesday last a team from the Labour Party in the Kildare South Constituency met with the National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham in Leinster House. General Election Candidate for Kildare South, Councillor Mark Wall, Secretary and local area representative for Newbridge, Ciara O’Reilly and P.R.O. and Athy branch Chairperson, Mark Leigh were joined by Labour Spokesperson for Transport, Senator Kevin Humphreys and Deputy Brendan Ryan to discuss extension of “Short Hop Zone” to Newbridge and present the NTA with our petition with 6000 signatories in our ongoing campaign.

Ciara O’Reilly addressed the issue head on and highlighted the ridiculous situation where people are now driving to an overcrowded Sallins train station to get the Short Hop Zone fare as the difference between the Sallins fare and the Newbridge fare is so vast. Sallins are now getting a larger car park now to cope with overflow of cars at great cost to the taxpayer.
Councillor Mark Wall queried as to why the NTA increased the fare for students by 10% recently and described the situation as “a regressive step, and nothing is being done to help the workers and students of South Kildare even though it was a policy brought in by the current Taoiseach to help those who “get up early””
Senator Kevin Humphreys asked about “capacity on that line”.
Anne Graham NTA CEO acknowledged all our issues and admitted the line was nearly at full capacity. She also stated “The National Transport Authority could do nothing about bringing Newbridge into the “Short Hop Zone” because of the affect it would have on the loss of revenue to the overall transport network”.
The upshot of the meeting is that we urgently need Minister Ross to intervene. How can he allow a 10% increase in Student Fares at this time when we have an accommodation crisis in Dublin? How can the government allow millions in funds to be used on extending Sallins Train station car park just so people from Newbridge and surrounding areas can park there instead of using their own train station? Its just an anomaly and the last thing Sallins needs is more traffic! Are we not being fined enough by the EU for our Carbon Footprint? Extending the Short Hop Zone and putting more carriages on would surely take hundreds of cars off the M7 Car park every day?
Overall we were disappointed with the outcome of the meeting. Unfortunately the NTA’s hands are tied as the government and Minister for Transport, Shane Ross continue to sit on their hands in regard to Public Transport and the severe lack of funding.
We urge Minister Ross to meet us and not hide behind the NTA.
LABOUR PARTY SOUTH KILDARE.