'Third of non-users won't ever take North public transport'
A third of non-users said nothing would persuade them to step onto buses or trains, a survey revealed today.
Cheaper fares and more frequent services would be central to increasing use, the North’s General Consumers' Council research added.
It said attitudes learned at school were partly to blame, with public transport not even on some people’s radar.
Chief executive Eleanor Gill told a committee hearing at Stormont: “The big worry we have is when the shine goes off the buses and new facilities, many of these things can be down to perception as much as reality.
“What you are really dealing with is perception and changing people and maybe developing a champion who says ’this works for me’.”
According to a survey by the Council, 36% of non-users and 14% of passengers said nothing would encourage them to make greater use of public transport.
Older children didn’t expect to make regular use of alternatives once they had learned to drive.
Ms Gill told Stormont’s Regional Development Committee there were a number of potential incentives.
“The difference in the amount that can be saved by the multi-tickets would need to be dramatic,” she said.
“If they made the difference more pronounced it would be a no-brainer.”
She called for increased bus priority and Park and Ride facilities with services properly integrated to help speed up journeys.
“Maybe we should not be constrained in creative thinking to see do we need to do something to make this a value for money option,” she added.
She said more work was needed with children and teenagers.
“If the experience of young people on school transport isn’t good that colours their view of using public transport afterwards.”
Committee chairman Fred Cobain said he was concerned by some of the findings.
“Public transport isn’t even on the radar,” he said.
“There are a group of individuals who have no perception of using (public) transport.”
Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney compared the school bus at times to a prison van, when set against widespread use of the car outside class hours.
