Tuesday 4 November 2014

Public transport fares - dodging the flak?

Over the last couple of weeks we have been warned of (yet another) increase in bus, train and LUAS fares due to take effect on November 1st. Those of us who've been on the receiving end of these for several years now were ducking in anticipation.

And then ... nothing. Fares just the same as they always were on Monday. On Tuesday I asked a bus driver if the new fares had come in yet. "No, December 1st" was the answer. But I haven't seen any formal indication of this, let alone a reason, anywhere.

I was left wondering if the actual reason might have anything to do with the popular fury we have seen these last two weekends over water charges, and the feeling that the next bite to be taken out of people's ever-tighter margins should come when they are less inclined to make an issue of things and have gone back to accepting whatever is thrown at them (or taken away from them)?