AQW 41122/11-15 Written question to the Minister for Regional Development
To ask the Minister for Regional Development for his assessment of off-peak, socially necessary, public transport provision.
Asked by Claire Sugden MLA on 22 January 2015
- Answered
- Written
- Tabled
- 22 January 2015
- Answer due by
- 6 February 2015
- Answered
- 30 January 20158 days after tabling
- Department
- Department for Infrastructure
- Priority question
- No
Answer
My Department has continued to provide direct subsidy to Translink to support the provision of transport options through the Rural Transport Fund (RTF) for socially necessary routes.
Many rural areas have benefitted from this including: Antrim, Armagh, Ballymena, Bangor, Coleraine, Craigavon, Downpatrick, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Lisburn, Londonderry, Magherafelt, Newcastle, Newry, Newtownabbey, Newtownards and Omagh.
Socially necessary, off-peak public transport provision by its nature is transport that would be uneconomically viable without additional funding. It is important to say that until the latest budget the Department subsidised, through a substantial fuel rebate cost, all bus services.
The detailed implication of the budget for 2015/16 is yet to be worked out. However there will be difficult decisions to make regarding the future of services bearing in mind the overall funding to Translink and Community Transport has been reduced next year.