YFG call on CIE to end student-card rip-off!

national | consumer issues | press release Wednesday February 18, 2004 15:27 by President - YFG

Young Fine Gael President William Lavelle has today asked CIE to introduce a new €5 national travel card for students of 3rd level colleges outside Dublin.

Lavelle states: "CIE are ripping-off students of 3rd level colleges outside Dublin by obliging them, when buying a national travel card, to pay an extra €10 for a discount card for Dublin Bus & Rail services, even though they may never use Dublin Bus or Rail.

"At present, Dublin-based students can purchase a 'City Student Travel Card' for €10 which entitles them to discounts on Dublin Bus weekly and monthly tickets and for weekly and monthly tickets on Dart and Commuter Rail Services.

"For an extra €5, Dublin-based students can purchase a 'National Student Travel Card' which entitles them to discounts on all ticket types covered on the 'City Student Travel Card' and also single and return InterCity rail tickets.

"Meanwhile, if students of 3rd level colleges outside Dublin wish to avail of discounts on InterCity rail tickets, then they must buy the same 'National Student Travel Card' for the full €15 even though will very rarely if ever, avail of the discounts on Dublin Bus and on Dart and Dublin Commuter Rail.

"This situation means that if a student in college in Galway, who doesn't usually use Irish Rail to travel to Galway from her home, wishes to make a one-off journey to Dublin then her options are:
• Pay the full adult fare of €35/€38;
OR
• Buy a €15 'National Student Travel Card' and pay the Students fare of €24.50 costing a total of €39.50

• i.e. no discount is available to that student!

"If a Dublin-based student can be given a choice between buying a 'City' and a 'National' Student Travel Card, then students based outside Dublin should be given the option of buying a national card without having to pay an extra €10 for the 'City Travel Card' discount entitlements.

Lavelle says: I'm calling on CIE to end-this rip-off and start treating all students from all parts of the country equally and this should be done by introducing a new €5 national travel card for student of 3rd level colleges outside Dublin.