AQW 1775/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 07/02/2020
Answered On Date: 24/02/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure to detail potential annual recurring costs associated with moving Half Fare SmartPass to full fare concession.

Answer:

The potential annual recurring costs associated with moving half fare SmartPass to full fare concession based on existing levels of usage are in excess of £1 million, which would take the full cost of the Northern Ireland Concessionary Fares Scheme to the region of £52 million per annum. The calculation of additional cost is caveated as this figure can be affected by a number of factors including the number of people who hold a half fare SmartPass and their pattern of usage; the rate of reimbursement to the service provider and public transport fare increases. It is highly likely that the recurring additional costs would be significantly higher than £1million based on the experience of Gilder where the result of introducing free travel for half fare SmartPass holders has been a substantial increase in patronage by half fare SmartPass holders.