DUBLIN BUS SHOULD CONSIDER NEW FARE REFUND SCHEME - KENNY

Posted on July 20, 2011 2:18 PM   |   Permanent Link   

Dublin North East Labour Party TD and Oireachtas Transport Committee member Seán Kenny has urged Dublin Bus to consider a new scheme for refunding surplus bus tickets to Dublin Bus customers.

"I have recently asked the Minister for Public Transport, Alan Kelly what the situation is with Dublin Bus surplus fare refunds", said Deputy Kenny. "I also put this question to the new Chairman of Dublin Bus, Kevin Bonner, when he came before the Oireachtas Transport committee last week", he added.

"At present, Dublin Bus passengers who wish to have their surplus fare tickets refunded must go to Dublin Bus HQ on O'Connell Street. This is very inconvenient for people, and I think they should be able to have these surplus tickets refunded at the authorised ticketing agents around the city." Deputy Kenny added.

"Dublin Bus has responded to the Minister after I put the question to him and say that it supports the idea of customers getting their surplus fare tickets refunded from authorised agents. Unfortunately though, Dublin Bus also said that the authorised ticketing agents had practical difficulties with the operation of the scheme." Deputy Kenny continued.
"Dublin Bus have told the Minister that a pilot scheme was set up in 2000 allowing passengers to refund their surplus fare tickets in a number of authorised ticketing agents, but that all of these agents had stopped taking part in the trial by 2003 for various reasons, including the size of the tickets meaning they were easily lost, too much time taken up by staff in counting and handing out small amounts of money, with disputes between staff and members of the public", Deputy Kenny went on.

"Apparently, Dublin Bus is exploring the level of interest amongst agents for re-launching the scheme. I will be following up on these efforts - it is not an impossible task to devise a scheme making it easier for customers of Dublin Bus to refund their surplus fare tickets, and I very much want to see a new scheme set up to allow this." Deputy Kenny concluded.