Ticketing should include integrated partners from the start

Better ticketing schemes for public transport are always welcome but there remains a question mark over the plans for an integrated system announced by the minister, Chris Hazzard.

The ticketless system is only planned to work on Translink services such as Metro, Ulsterbus, rapid transit and train, when the plans for integrated transport have not yet been finalised.

If the Department for Infrastructure does proceed with integrated transport, which would enable health, education, and community transport to play a role in connecting rural people to the public transport network, then the ticketing system should include those partner organisations from the beginning of the process.

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It is extremely short-sighted of the Executive to create a system which may incur additional costs later, in order to add those other suppliers as and when integrated transport is brought into Northern Ireland.

Kellie Armstrong MLA, Alliance Infrastructure spokesperson