§ David BurnsideTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of Translink's increased customer base, as set out in the latest edition of the Northern Ireland Road and Rail Transport Statistics Quarterly Bulletin, is accounted for by(a) paying customers, (b) those entitled to free travel, (c) new business and (d) ticket price increases. [98265]
§ Angela SmithTranslink has introduced a new integrated ticketing system on Citybus from 1 October 2001 and on Ulsterbus from 1 April 2002. The new system has not yet been implemented in Northern Ireland Railway hence information is not available to answer questions(a), nor is any information available which would identify new customers (question (c)).
229WFor question (b) it is estimated that the increase in patronage on Citybus is mostly attributable to over 65-year-olds who are entitled to free travel, while less than half of the increase on Ulsterbus resulted from the senior citizen market. It is not thought that there has been any increase in usage of the railways by the elderly sector who are entitled to free travel.
For question (d) there was a 4.5 per cent. fares increase in public transport. Overall receipts increased by £0.9 million which was an increase of 6.6 per cent. over the period. Therefore 68 per cent. of the increase in receipts was due to ticket price increases.