Discount train fares demanded for 7,000 Portlaoise to Dublin commuters

A cheap commuter rate for public transport has been requested for an estimated 7,000 people travelling from Portlaoise daily to work in Dublin.

A Laois councillor wants Portlaoise zoned as a commuter town, and given the Department of Transport's discount rate Leap Card for public transport. Thousands more commute from Portarlington by train and road.

The discount travel card for trains, DART, Luas and buses is only available to Dubliners.

Cllr Barry Walsh from the Portlaoise Municipal District believes it is time it was extended to Portlaoise.

"Portlaoise is clearly now a large commuter town to Dublin with an estimated 7,000 people commuting daily for work. A lot of these journeys are by car and rail with several trains serving Dublin daily.

"I feel if the public transport was made available a more cost-effective rate in the form of a commuter Leap card or similar, it would encourage people to use public transport and also ease the cost burden for existing frequent public transport users.

"Encouraging commuters to use public transport would also have the added benefit of reducing car numbers on roads and ease our carbon footprint," Cllr Walsh said.

"A lot of people are coming here to buy houses. If we encourage people to use public transport, it will also reduce the cost for existing users," he said.

He tabled his motion to the December meeting of Portlaoise Municipal District, asking Laois County Council to ask the Department of Transport to zone Portlaoise as a commuter zone to Dublin and apply commuter rate fares.

Cllr Walsh points out that the 2016 census showed the population of Portlaoise grew by 9.5% to 22,050, the most populated town in the Midlands and the fastest growing in Ireland. He expects the 2022 census to show at least the same as the predicted national growth rate of another 7%.

Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley seconded his motion and complained about the cost of train tickets.

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"I was recently in Dublin for a day with a 16 year old family member, we paid nearly €50 return and that was not even at peak travel times. It must be one of the most expensive train services in the EU. Once you're in Dublin it's grand with the Luas. I commuted for years to Dublin and was expensive then but it's gone completely out of hand," she said.

Cllr Noel Tuohy said that "the day of bringing the kids to the zoo on a day out are gone", because of the train cost.

Laois County Council will now contact the Department of Transport to make the request.