NTA cannot ignore fact that 20% of all submissions were calling for Fairer Fares
Fine Gael Councillor Sharon Tolan says she’s delighted with the response to her recent Fairer Fares Campaign calling for a restructure of the fare on the Northern Line from Dublin to Drogheda.
The Bettystown Councillor has been campaigning for a number of years now, but recently she ramped up the pressure when the National Transport Authority opened a public consultation on their Draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area.
“I am absolutely delighted to have gotten support from Ministers, MEPS, TD’s, fellow Councillors and most importantly the public,” Councillor Tolan said.
Tolan launched her campaign with a series of advertisements and videos encouraging the public to get involved, make a submission and have their voices heard once and for all. She posted a series of videos on social media with Minister Helen McEntee at Gormanston train station, Minister Damien English at Navan train station, Cllr Niamh Souhan at Enfield train station and others at Drogheda, Laytown and Skerries, which proved highly popular.
“I really want to thank the public and our public representatives for getting involved in this campaign and ensuring a large number of submissions were made” Tolan said.
It is so important that the NTA listen to the public and don’t ignore this important issue any longer. If they are serious about addressing climate action and encouraging the public to use public transport, then they must make it affordable sooner rather than later.
“They cannot continue to ignore the fact that we have empty trains and carriages from Drogheda, Laytown and Gormanston that only start to fill up from the first short hop zone station in Balbriggan.
“People from Drogheda and East Meath should be able to use their local stations at an affordable fare and I will keep fighting for this until it is delivered,” the Councillor concluded.
Over 80 submissions of a total of just over 500 were directly supporting Tolan’s Fairer Fares Campaign, 20% of the overall submissions received by the National Transport Authority before the deadline of the 10th January. Submissions can be read on the online portal at www.nta.ie
