Hospitality and students will suffer if Translink cut services, say commuters

A potential reduction in bus and rail service discounts for young people, and the removals of many late-evening departures have been described as an "absolute disgrace".

Northern Ireland's public transport operator Translink has launched a public consultation on the proposals which will run for 12 weeks until the end of September.

Translink said there were "very real financial pressures facing public transport, driven by rising costs and a reduction in funding".

Under the proposals published on Wednesday, the company said it was necessary to explore potential changes "in the absence of a viable budget allocation".

Translink is publicly owned but operates at arms length from Stormont's Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

Speaking to BBC News NI outside Belfast Grand Central Station, Mark Rowan said the proposed cuts to services would hurt the hospitality industry.

"Obviously they're trying to get more footfall into Belfast city centre and if they're going to start making it more impossible and more expensive the footfall is going to drop.

"Especially late buses, the hospitality struggles as it is now in Belfast so we definitely need more people to come into Belfast, they need the footfall especially at nighttime because clubs and bars around the city do struggle," he said.

Lauren, who's 18, said as a student, it can be "hard enough" getting to school or tech in the morning.

"With the prices, I have a friend at the moment who sometimes couldn't come to tech because of the prices, so it's just a struggle seeing my friends struggle," she said.

Regarding the proposed cancellation of certain late night services, Lauren said with working during the summer months Mondays to Wednesdays are sometimes the only days she can go out with her friends and having the late night services are "really helpful" for her.

Christine said she doesn't think Translink should progress with cuts to services.

"Especially not where students are concerned, they have enough with university and fees and everything they need for that."

When asked about late night buses, Christine said they should remain open as "it's a service that's needed".

Stephen said he was concerned about proposed cancellation of some late night services.

"If you have a late night show it's going to make it a bit more of an effort for you to get home."

He said this would then reduce the business for bars and restaurants which have "already had it tough enough".

The National Union of Students - Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI) president Amy Smith said any move to reduce or remove discounts for students and young people would be a "a real blow".

"No financial saving is worth the lives that may be put at risk when services end at 10pm, and those working late or out socialising can't get home safely.

"For many students, public transport is not a choice. It is how they get to class, placements, apprenticeships, work and essential services," Smith said.

"Students already cannot afford rent, food, bills and course costs. Adding higher travel costs on top of that would create yet another barrier to education."

The plans would remove from Mondays to Wednesdays the last departures on the rail network and later bus departures that currently operate from 22:00 BST.

No connecting bus or rail services would support the arrival of the last Enterprise service from Dublin, which currently leaves Dublin at 20:50 BST and arrives at 22:58 BST.

However, Translink said late-evening services on some routes would be retained as they have "significant demand and revenue".

Those being retained under the plans are the 212 Belfast-Londonderry service, X1, X2, X3, X4, 300 Airport and 600 Airport services

Under the proposals the yLink smartcard discount, which is available for 16 to 23-year-olds, would be reduced from 50% to 33%.

Off-peak day return fares on bus and rail services for both adults and children would be removed.

Some promotional fares currently on offer would also be increased by £2 each.

Translink said it was also proposing measures to make pre-purchasing of NI Railways tickets "more advantageous and convenient".

Under the plans, customers who board without a valid ticket would only be able to purchase single tickets on board.

In its equality impact assessment document, Translink said its fare discount changes were "likely to have a disproportionate impact on younger people".

It said younger and older customers "may be proportionately more impacted by the removal of last services", and that some female customers "may feel proportionately more impacted".

Launching its consultation, Translink said it was an "important opportunity for passengers, stakeholders and the wider public to share their views".

In May, the outgoing chief executive of Translink told a Stormont committee the firm was seeking to make £10m worth of savings.

Chris Conway acknowledged it would be "very disappointing and concerning" for passengers, but said the measures were to "protect Translink from a financially unsustainable position".

He said Translink's public service agreement "has not been funded by DfI over the last couple of years" and subsidies per passenger were "well below other regions in the UK and Ireland".

In April, Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins announced Translink fares would be frozen for the second year in a row.

Conway said that over the past nine years there had been five fare freezes.

"Conservatively, those five fare freezes have cost us over £20m of revenue," he told assembly members.

DfI has said its "priority is to support passengers and protect access to public transport".

"There is no agreed budget, and the department will continue to work closely with Translink in this interim period," said a spokesperson.