AQW 9889/17-22

Mr Andrew Muir
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 06/11/2020
Answered On Date: 20/11/2020
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure for her assessment of the impact upon (i) Translink; and (ii) the provision of public transport services as a result of receiving £10 million for lost passenger income from the October monitoring round.

Answer:

The member will be aware of the significant impact that Covid-19 has had on the passenger income that public transport providers across these islands normally rely on to maintain public transport services and also of the huge efforts that Translink, our own publicly owned public transport provider, has made to keep services running safely for those passengers who rely on them to get to work or for other essential purposes.

To keep these services running over the winter period and to ensure that the company’s financial viability is not put at risk, Translink’s latest assessment is that it needs a further £20m and that amount was part of the bid lodged by my Department with the Department of Finance. The £10m allocation provided to me, which is in response to a much wider range of pressures than Translink’s alone, falls far short of what is needed.

However, the member will also be aware that the Executive has previously committed to ensuring the necessary steps are taken to maintain the viability of Translink and its ability to deliver necessary public transport services. I am working closely with the Minister of Finance and other Executive colleagues to ensure that this commitment translates into timely funding allocations that can ensure that the provision of the public transport services on which so many people rely is not adversely impacted.