Prioritise roll-out of contactless payments on public transport in order to reduce Dublin traffic chaos – Doherty

As traffic on Dublin’s roads increases and as the tourist season ramps up, Senator Regina Doherty, Fine Gael’s candidate for the European Elections in Dublin, has criticised the ongoing failure to provide for contactless payments on the Dublin public transport network, including Dublin Bus, the Luas, and Irish Rail.

Senator Doherty said: “The tendering process for the rollout of contactless payments on Dublin Bus by the National Transport Authority (NTA) has been underway for some time, and the expected rollout is an unacceptable time for commuters to wait.

“The ability to use electronic or contactless payment methods such as your bank card or your phone when entering public transport would make total sense. It would make it easier to use public transport, it would reduce the need to duplicate resources by buying a leap card, and it would improve mobility and reduce dependence on cars, especially as traffic in Dublin is already extremely heavy at various times of the day. Unfortunately Dublin is far behind other similar European cities on this. We need to catch up.

“The tourist season in Dublin is currently about to reach its to peak, and visitors from all over the world are visiting our wonderful city and county. Yet unfortunately the lack of electronic or contactless payment options on public transport beyond a leap card create needless complications for those seeking to use the Luas, the bus, or the train.

“We can use electronic payments for the simplest things in shops, cafes, museums restaurants, and cafés but not on public transport. Meanwhile cities such as Brussels have had this option in place for years. It is baffling to me.

“We have heard from the NTA about the ongoing tendering process for contactless payment on Dublin Bus and the various deadlines to date. Now it is unlikely that this will be in place before 2025 or 2026 and the deadlines could change yet again. If the NTA are unable to roll this out properly then perhaps it is time for the Minister for Transport to intervene?

“Ultimately a move to electronic and contactless payments on public transport will be good for all commuters, as well as visitors. Anything that makes public transport easier and reduces the heavy congestion on Dublin’s roads is a good thing. I am calling on transport officials need to make this a priority.

“We know that nearly half of all public transport journeys are taken on Dublin Bus, with 145 million passenger journeys recorded in 2023 – up 10% on the pre-Covid figures from 2019. Meanwhile 48.2 million trips were made on the Luas in the same year. The people are ahead of the NTA on this. Allowing contactless and electronic payment on public transport would show real commitment to this area.”