Travel Costs Are Just 'Not Fare'

It has been revealed that the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland has written to Translink to urge a review of its charges.

The consumer watchdog wants to bring down ticket prices and has called for a reduction in bus and train fares, after dramatic falls in the costs of fuel.

The comments came as the wholesale cost of oil slumped to a 15-month low of $66.76 a barrel - its lowest level since May 2007.

Eleanor Gill, Chief Executive of the Consumer Council NI, said that people should demand a cut in fares.

"Consumers are being hit hard by the rising cost of living and need all the help they can get to cope," she said.

"A family of four is having to find an extra £44 per week just to cover the cost of must-haves like food, heat, shelter and transport.

"Translink fares have increased by nearly 10% since March, largely due to the wholesale cost of oil," she continued.

"Consumers have seen the cost of petrol and diesel fall and even airlines are cutting their fuel surcharges.

"It is reasonable for passengers to expect that bus and rail fares can fall too. The question that consumers are asking us is how much can fares come down and when?"

"Translink has a responsibility to provide value for money," she insisted noting that the Consumer Council believes that all service providers, including transport and energy companies have a duty to ensure that they are passing on lower prices to their customers as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, adding to the pressure, NI motorists are this week reaping the benefits of a full-on fuel price war after Northern Ireland's largest supermarkets slashed their tariffs dramatically.

Retail giant Tesco yesterday lowered prices - for the third time in just over a week - by up to 2p a litre, bringing the price of unleaded down to 97.9p a litre and cutting diesel to 109.9p at four local forecourts.

From today, Asda and Sainsbury's will be charging these tariffs at all 14 of their filling stations in Northern Ireland, which means that most drivers should benefit from the lowest prices at the pumps in over a year.

The move - which for the first time sees Sainsbury's charging a uniform price for fuel across the Province - comes just days after Northern Ireland's Finance Minister raised the issue of regional fuel price discrepancies in the House of Commons.

(BMcC)