AQW 5749/17-22

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 21/07/2020
Answered On Date: 04/08/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether she will (i) extend the dates; or (ii) reimburse passengers the face value of pre-purchased books of Strangford ferry tickets unable to be used due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

Answer:

Although pre-purchased books of Strangford Lough Ferry Tickets were superseded by multi-journey SmartCards in autumn 2014, pre-purchased tickets were accepted for a further year after which they were no longer valid.

It is my intention to extend by 1 year, the expiry date of journeys on SmartCards, which are not used by customers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and I have asked my Officials to investigate how this can be achieved.

Refunds will not be issued for pre-purchased books of tickets. The Terms and Conditions for use of a multi-journey SmartCard advise purchasers that no refunds will be given for unused journeys.