COMMUTERS using the €2.15 fare on Dublin Bus are set for a price increase – with the NTA planning a flat fare as part of the new BusConnects scheme.

The fare, which currently covers stages six to 13, will be replaced by a flat fare between €2.15 and €2.60, the most commonly used daily fares.

The NTA says the fare change will mean a decrease for those who currently pay the €2.60 fare, which covers further than 13 stops.

Of the 59 million journeys recorded for €2.15 fares and upwards, 41pc were for the €2.15 fare, with the remainder for the €2.60 Leap Card fare, cash fares and journeys on more than one bus.

According to the NTA the 59pc will spend less.

Those who pay the flat fare will be able to avail of any modes of transport around the Dublin area within 90 minutes of tapping your Leap Card.

BENEFITS

A spokesman for the NTA told Independent.ie that the 90-minute flat fare benefits one in five people a day.

“At the moment if you get on a bus and your journey requires you to use two modes of transport, you have to pay two fares,” the spokesman said.

“We’re proposing that there will be one fare and once you pay that fare you are free to use any bus, dart or Luas in the Dublin area in 90 minutes.”

The spokesman said that while there was no final decision on the cost of this fare, it is expected to be between €2.15 and €2.60.

Asked about who would benefit from the 90-minute fare, the NTA says that it is around 20pc.

“It’s just under 20pc of people on a daily basis that would use two modes, that’s based on Leap Card journeys,” he said.

“About 35pc of people are taking at least one journey a week that requires a transfer.”

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However, the NTA doesn’t expect the number of transfers to have to increase dramatically for those travelling into the city, based on the new bus routes.

“About 92pc of people who have a direct route into the city currently will still have a direct route into the city centre,” the spokesman said.

The NTA is exploring a cheaper fare to be included which would cover the shorter journeys along bus routes.

The spokesman said there will be “winners and losers” due to the new system, but there will be a greater and more frequent service.

Currently, the cheapest Leap Card fare is €1.50, which covers stages one to three.

Herald