John Brady Calls On Fellow TDs To Support Motion To Address Issues With Go-Ahead Buses.

The Go-Ahead Ireland routes in question are the 45a, the 184, and the 185.

Wicklow Sinn Féin TD John Brady has appealed to each of the four other sitting Wicklow TDs, including the three government TDs, to support Sinn Féin’s Motion on accessible and reliable public transport, which is scheduled to come before the Dáil next Tuesday.

The Sinn Féin motion has formed as a means of confronting the government on addressing the criticisms of Go-Ahead Ireland's deliverance of their transport contract. The routes in question are the 45a, the 184, and the 185, servicing the towns of Kilmacanogue, Greystones, Newtownmountkennedy, Enniskerry and Bray.

The experience for bus commuters in North Wicklow on these three routes has been the root of a lot of controversy over the past few months. Last minute cancellations have seen many bus users stranded by the side of the road, resulting in missed hospital appointments, with other commuters being unable to get to work or college on time.

Brady said:

“The crux of the transport difficulties we are witnessing in north Wicklow in relation to the Go-Ahead service can be traced back to the decision of the government to attempt to introduce privatised bus routes. There is nobody who can argue that this failed government initiative has not been a disaster.   

I have met with, questioned, and harangued the Minister in the Dáil on this issue, I have met with the National Transport Authority (NTA), I have spoken with Go-Ahead Ireland, writing to them on special occasions, and have led a Sinn Féin team of public representatives in a protest outside Go-Ahead Ireland’s offices in Dublin. I also launched an online petition which received widespread support, with countless individuals taking the time to contact me directly to recount their experiences of being let down by Go-Ahead Ireland.

The reality is that the Go-Ahead contract with the NTA is up for review. The NTA has the power to scrap this contract. This is something that I have repeatedly called for, which forms a central tenet of the Sinn Féin motion.

Go-Ahead Ireland cannot be allowed to continue to fail to deliver a fit for purpose bus service for the people of north Wicklow. Their contract needs to be withdrawn by the NTA, and the three bus routes in question handed back to Dublin Bus to deliver the service which they offered prior to the government’s privatisation of the routes.  

The NTA has issued fines of €850,000 on GoAhead for buses not showing up or not running on time over the first six months of 2022. As late as yesterday I have heard Minister Eamon Ryan concede the failure of Go-Ahead Ireland to deliver on their contract. He and his government colleagues need to support Sinn Féin’s motion and scrap the Go-Ahead contract”.

Brady continued:

“The motion which we are bringing forward next week is designed to deliver accessible, affordable and reliable public transport for workers and their families. And will also addresses the need to extend the short hop service in Wicklow as far as Arklow.

It is not acceptable that rail passengers in Wicklow are being asked to pay extra just because Leap Cards are not accepted  from Greystones onwards travelling south. The Government may be advising more people to leave their cars behind and to use public transport instead. But they are doing little to make rail travel an attractive alternative, instead we have rail users in Wicklow and Arklow who are being penalised for using the train.

With anti-social behaviour on public transport growing at an alarming rate, Sinn Féin is also calling for the establishment of a dedicated transport policing unit as called for by the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU).

Some 13.5% of the population are recorded as having a disability. Many disabled people continue to face barriers to using public transport such as broken lifts, limited wheelchair space, or having to give 24-notice before their journey in order to ensure that there is a ramp in place. We are also calling for the Public Transport Accessibility Retrofit Programme budget to be increased to ensure accessibility at all train stations, platforms, and bus stops.

I want to repeat my call for all TDs in Wicklow to back the Sinn Féin motion and help to deliver on an accessible, affordable and reliable public transport for workers and their families across our county.”