FOR 77 years private bus services have operated under restrictive legislation that inhibited competition on national bus routes as the State sought to protect what, for most of that time, was a virtual monopoly transport service. That is set to change when the Oireachtas passes the Public Transport Regulation Bill, which Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey published on Wednesday. For the first time, all bus operators – public and private – will compete on an equal basis. Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus currently operate under one set of rules for their commercial services while private bus services operate under another. As Mr Dempsey conceded, the law on the authorisation of bus routes is inadequate, outdated and greatly in need of reform.
Under the proposed new system, the needs of consumers – which have been ignored for too long – will become a key consideration in awarding bus licences. The measure will, when implemented, result in the Department of Transport losing some of its power including responsibility for issuing all bus-route licences. This will pass to the Dublin Transport Authority which will be given a national remit and later renamed as the National Transport Authority (NTA). The NTA, which will subsume the Commission for Taxi Regulation, will be responsible for the oversight of all forms of public land transport in the State. That role will leave the NTA with considerable powers.
In future, all new licences for State subvented routes will be subject to open competition. For the first time both public and private operators will compete for the right to those routes. Where previously holders of bus licences could neither be penalised for poor performance nor have their licence revoked, in future that will be possible.
Overall, the legislation reflects a marked shift of emphasis. Mr Dempsey is setting and demanding high standards by transport operators and aims to give consumers a cost-efficient and effective national transport service. Most people want a bus service that is fast, efficient and reliable, and competitively priced. When that is provided, it gives commuters the option of leaving their cars at home. In Dublin, quality bus corridors offer that choice and have been validated by the greatly increased usage of public transport along them. This welcome – if long overdue – reform of the Road Transport Act 1932 sets a framework for some proper competition from which users have much to gain.