Kilkenny TD welcomes record-breaking uptake of public transport

Kilkenny TD  and Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform, Malcolm Noonan has welcomed the record-breaking public transport passenger numbers for the year 2023.

The figures show a 24% increase in passenger numbers in 2023 compared with 2022 and a 5% increase above the previous record year in 2019 before COVID. LocalLink services saw a 78% increase in usage compared with 2022 and a 265% increase since 2019.

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Speaking about the impact of increased services and reduced fares on public transport uptake in Carlow and Kilkenny, Minister Noonan said: 

“It’s really gratifying to see record levels of public transport use in 2023. This remarkable growth underscores the success of local measures that the Green Party has been working really hard to deliver. By making it cheaper and easier for people to choose public transport to get around their local areas, we are providing a viable alternative to the car for some journeys and giving people options that they didn’t have before. This is in stark contrast to other European countries where fares are increasing and passenger numbers still haven’t recovered since Covid.

“We’ve seen huge improvements to public transport in Carlow and Kilkenny over the past few years. The new Carlow town bus launched by myself and Minister Eamon Ryan last year has been a roaring success. Most of the town now lives close to a bus stop and figures show over 10,000 passengers are using the new buses every single week. The new LocalLink services we launched connecting Kilkenny and Carlow to nearby towns have also been very popular, with more routes on the way.”

On historic public transport fare reductions, Minister Noonan said:

“We’ve also seen reductions in public transport fares for the first time in 75 years. In 2022, we implemented a 20% reduction of all fares nationally and a further 50% reduction for students and 19- to 23-year-olds. This month, we extended the Young Adult Leap Card to 24- and 25-year-olds making thousands more young people in Carlow and Kilkenny eligible for the lower fares. Combined with the availability now of mobile tickets on Kilkenny city buses and trains servicing Carlow and Kilkenny, public transport is becoming a much more affordable, convenient, and attractive option for people, and that’s reflected in these significantly increased passenger numbers.”