The Alliance Party’s Consumer Affairs spokesperson Jan Campbell has called the price increase to Translink bus and train fares ‘disgraceful and outrageous’.
Mrs Campbell said:
“This announcement from Translink about the 4% increase is prices is simply ‘not on’, especially as only a few weeks ago the Consumer Council announced that the public were not happy with the level and standard of service they were receiving for their money.”
“The Consumer Council proposed that any price hike should be postponed until service levels were increased as there was clearly major gaps in the service currently being provided. But apparently Translink have ignored these proposals and decided to proceed with their extensive price increase – over and above the level of inflation.”
“I don’t think the public would mind paying extra if they could see the benefits, in a reliable Province-wide service for example or more ‘kneeling’ buses for the elderly or disabled but I doubt this will be where the additional money goes.”
ENDS.