Press Release: Transport 17 June 2008

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17 June 2008
 

Patton Flyer bus service should be granted licence says Cuffe
 

Green Party TD for Dún Laoghaire Ciarán Cuffe has today written to Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey requesting him to grant a license for the Patton Flyer bus service that operates between Dublin Airport and the coastal towns of Blackrock, Monkstown, Dún Laoghaire, Glasthule and Dalkey and to modernise the legislation under which licences are granted. The service is currently operating along this route in contravention of the 1932 Road Transport Act. It is still awaiting a licensing decision, having applied to the Department of Transport in June 2006.

Speaking following a Dáil debate on the matter, Deputy Cuffe said “The Patton Flyer is providing a valuable service to the people of Dalkey, Glasthule, Dún Laoghaire and Monkstown, giving them a punctual, well operated direct bus service to the airport where there are no bus or rail alternatives. I think it is important we retain such services to give those travelling to or working in the airport an alternative to the private car.

“The Department of Transport is currently putting together a sustainable transport and travel action plan, one of the purposes of which is to encourage people to use more public transport and to be less car dependent, yet private operators willing to take a business risk and provide these services are coming up against a brick wall. I feel a bit of joined up thinking is required.

“This isn’t a simple ideological yes or no argument about bus privatisation. Services like the Patton flyer are plugging the gaps that Dublin bus cannot fill yet seem hamstrung by an outdated and cumbersome licensing system. The Patton Flyer has been waiting two years for a decision and the 75 year old legislation appears ill equipped to deal with this. We need to modernise the legislation, speed up the processing of applications and have a clear and transparent system.

“It became clear in the course of the debate that a licence has meanwhile been granted to Aircoach to operate a service from the airport to Greystones and that the new Aircoach route does not serve the coastal towns of Monkstown, Glasthule, Dalkey nor the county town of Dún Laoghaire. The people of these towns deserve a service to the airport that is efficient and reliable.