[ad_1]
The National Transportation Authority has said it is hopeful that fares and passenger numbers on public transportation will recover over the next 18 months.
The pandemic has caused the number of passengers to drop significantly on state transport and the government has promised a billion euros in the budget to rescue bus and rail services.
NTA Executive Director Anne Graham said: “We really have to take every step, every year, so we expect to see a recovery in fare revenue and passenger numbers once we get through this Covid pandemic.”
Bus Éireann CEO Stephen Kent said he’s not worried about the commitments that will be made for the rest of this year and next, adding that “it’s about getting the economy moving again, but doing it safely. and make sure all those protocols are in place. ”
Earlier, the NTA announced that the first ten of the 100 double-decker electric hybrid buses ordered by the authority had been delivered.
The buses, which are intended to be used in Dublin by Dublin Bus and in Galway by Bus Éireann, will enter service at the beginning of the New Year.
Hybrid buses, which can operate in zero exhaust emission mode over a distance of at least 2.5 km, will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 30%.
Dublin Bus will use its initial bus allocation to convert routes 4, 122, 123 and 140 to hybrid bus operations, while Bus Éireann will use its initial allocation to begin conversion of Galway City routes.
The buses are fully accessible and equipped with an induction loop system to assist the hearing impaired along with a passenger information screen within the bus’s wheelchair space.
Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann present the first order for new low-consumption hybrid buses pic.twitter.com/svjmyLW39P
– RTÉ News (@rtenews) December 10, 2020
State Minister of the Department of Climate Action and Transportation, Hildegarde Naughton, said: “We have pledged not to buy more diesel-only city buses for our public transport services as part of our efforts to decarbonize the transport sector.”
“These will be the most fuel-efficient buses in the national fleet, but on top of that, they are capable of zero-emission operation on sections of their trips, which, when used, will be a huge improvement for urban air quality.
Ms. Graham said: “The NTA is committed to the transition to zero and low emission public transportation vehicles, and with these new ADL buses, we are taking a significant step towards a more sustainable bus fleet.
“These vehicles will also add much-needed additional capacity to our urban fleets in Dublin and Galway.
“While the number of public transportation passengers has decreased as a result of the Covid-19 restrictions this year, we believe that they will return to something of a pandemic in the next 18 to 24 months.”
Additional reporting Sharon Lynch
[ad_2]