A new 90-minute Leap card flat fare is being introduced on Cork’s city bus network next month. This will allow passengers free transfers between buses for journeys requiring multiple legs.
A new distance-based fare structure is also being introduced in a commuter zone extending approximately 30km from the city center.
However, the planned rollout of a new ‘tap-on tap-off’ payment system across the bus fleet, scheduled around the same time, has been delayed due to technical and software problems, according to the .
This development follows the National Transport Authority (NTA) board’s approval of a new fares policy and the creation of two new fare zones for Cork. The fare changes will be rolled out in three phases, beginning next month with the introduction of the flat 90-minute Leap card fare, initially applicable only to Cork City bus services.
The second phase, planned for later this year, will introduce a flat 90-minute Leap card fare for both bus and rail travel. This will apply to city bus services and rail services between Kent Station, Little Island, and Glounthane. This fare will be priced higher than the initial bus-only 90-minute fare, which will then be discontinued.
In the third phase, scheduled for next year, distance-based commuter bus fares will be implemented in the new Cork Commuter Zone. This zone encompasses the area outside the city zone and extends 30km from the city center, covering the remaining commuter train stations, including Midleton and Mallow, as well as commuter bus services operating in the area. The zone stretches just south of Fermoy and includes both Bandon and Kinsale.
The delay concerns the installation of a pole-mounted Leap card validator system on buses. This system would allow passengers to board and pay without interacting with the driver, but this has been postponed due to technical and software challenges.
This new fare structure, mirroring the TFI 90-minute fare operating in Dublin across its bus and Luas network, is considered a crucial component of the BusConnects project. These fare changes will be implemented on the existing bus network before the introduction of the Cork BusConnects network, slated to begin next April.
Green Party Cllr Oliver Moran anticipates a significant positive impact.
“These changes are the first tangible element of the overall BusConnects program that people will experience. They offer immediate and impactful improvements for passengers and services right now,” he stated.
“Over the next five to ten years, it’s essential that we encourage more people to use public transport in anticipation of high-frequency commuter rail, BusConnects, and eventually the Luas. Public transport must become the primary transportation choice for commuting within the city during that timeframe.”
Despite the delay of the tap-on, tap-off payment system, Mr. Moran emphasized that its eventual introduction will result in faster boarding times.
“This will alleviate queuing times at busy stops such as St Patrick’s Street, Kent Station, and Clontarf Street. Reduced boarding times will also enable bus drivers to navigate routes more efficiently.”
