Committee for Regional Development

Transport Bill

Newtownabbey Borough Council
Response to the Transport Bill

The Council welcomes the opportunity to comment on the draft Transport Bill and is broadly supportive of it.

The Council is very supportive of the main purpose of the Bill and the associated Policy Objectives.

The Council would agree with the selection of Option 3 and believes the avoidance of potential and perceived conflicts of interests is of paramount importance for all public sector organisations.

The Council would have liked to have seen details of the potential efficiency savings against which the operational efficiency could have been gauged at a later date.

One area of concern for the Council is in relation to the Department’s responsibility to secure the provision of passenger services. There are many areas throughout Northern Ireland where there is insufficient public transport provision to allow the workforce to easily access areas of employment. By way of example, the Council would highlight the employment opportunities at Mallusk but the lack of public transport from areas like Longlands, Bawnmore, Rathcoole and Monkstown within the Borough.

The Council supports the offence of operating an unregulated service.

The Council has previously highlighted the need to have easily accessible non e-ticket sales and would again re-emphasise this point.

The Council is very supportive of the idea of shared premises and integrated ticketing.

The Council welcomes the extension of the responsibilities of a provider to its subsiduaries.

The Council welcomes the formalising of the role of the Consumer Council and the inspection powers being given to the Department.

Although not part of the Bill the Council hopes that the Agency, when established, will take all possible steps to ensure a more integrated, affordable and well publicised public transport system particularly in regard to maximising the potential of linking bus and train timetables and services.