Dramatic fare increases on Ballybrophy Line 'make no sense'

Fare increases without warning of over 250% in some instances for passengers using the Ballybrophy Rail Line 'make no sense' according to a local TD and have been described as a disincentive for people to use the recently upgraded rail route.

A single ticket to use the route will increase by 261% from €3 to €10.85, while the most popular option, the €6 day return ticket, is rising to €15.60, an increase of 160%.

The line, which had recently been upgraded was showing promising signs of growth and was beginning to become a more popular choice for people in Roscrea, Cloughjordan and Nenagh and other stations in rural North Tipperary towns.

The North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership, who have long campaigned for improvement and development of the service, strongly condemned what they described as "the sudden and poorly communicated decision to dramatically increase fares" and warned that passengers in Birdhill, Nenagh, Cloughjordan and Roscrea are "being unfairly penalised."

The group described the announcement as a "stealth fare increase" after passengers learned of the changes through a simple notice displayed at stations, with no press release, no online announcement, no public consultation and no engagement with affected communities.

From November 2nd, the popular promotional fares, introduced to encourage passenger growth on the line, will be withdrawn and result in dramatic increases on some fares.

Speaking on behalf of the North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership, Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh said: "People are absolutely shocked by the scale of these fare increases and by the manner in which they have been announced.

"These are extraordinary increases to impose on people with virtually no notice. What makes this even more frustrating is that communities along the line have spent years actively supporting rail travel and encouraging greater passenger use.

"The promotional fares were introduced to attract people onto public transport, yet now these same passengers are being punished with eye-watering increases," Cllr Morgan Walsh said.

The Partnership said the timing could not be worse, coming as households continue to face significant cost-of-living pressures.

"Families, students, workers and pensioners are already struggling with rising costs. Public transport should be becoming more affordable and more attractive, not less.

"These increases risk pushing people back into their cars, undermining Government climate objectives and years of effort to build passenger numbers on the line," they said.

The group also pointed to the lack of investment in the Limerick-Ballybrophy route over the past decade and a half and said that for more than 15 years passengers on this line have been promised improvements.

"Yet we continue to see limited investment, stations that remain locked and inaccessible for much of the day, and repeated calls for timetable improvements that have gone unanswered.

"Before asking passengers to pay dramatically more, Irish Rail and the National Transport Authority must explain what improvements commuters are receiving in return. Communities have shown loyalty to this service despite years of neglect and deserve far better treatment."

The North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership is calling on all Government TDs representing North Tipperary to intervene immediately and seek answers from the Minister for Transport, the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail.

Cllr Morgan Walsh concluded: "This railway line is a vital public service connecting communities across North Tipperary. If the government is serious about supporting rural Ireland and encouraging sustainable transport, it cannot stand over fare increases of this magnitude.

"We are calling on Government TDs to act immediately, explain how this happened, and work with all stakeholders to ensure that passengers are not unfairly punished for choosing public transport," she said.

North Tipperary Labour TD, Deputy Alan Kelly said it is "unbelievable" the National Transport Authority decided to multiply the fares which had encouraged many people to use the line as a mode of transport to get to Limerick, Dublin and other destinations.

Deputy Kelly said the fare increases are "a total disincentive and make no sense".

"The new fare structure was a good initiative. Commuters were coming back to use the service so why get rid of them?

"I'm calling on the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail to review this decision immediately and reverse this decision. Furthermore I want to see an improved timetable for the like to allow commuters to get to work and back from Limerick and Dublin.

"We deserve better than this lack of investment. The line needs crossings closed with alternatives out in place. It needs improved tracks and changes at BallyBrophy to allow direct trains to Dublin.

"North Tipperary residents are commuting daily to Dublin and Limerick for work, medical appointments and leisure and we need an investment plan from this Government once and for all for the Ballybrophy Line," Deputy Kelly said.