by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

The value of public transport to the Northern Ireland (NI) economy and wider society was the theme of a stakeholder event held in Belfast today as part of the fourth Bus + Train Week initiative. Guests were given advance sight of headline findings from a major independent Economic Impact Report being carried out by Grant Thornton on behalf of Translink.


 

They also heard from Stephen Edwards, Chair of the UK Urban Transport Group who discussed the cross-sector benefits of backing public transport across the UK. He also joined a panel discussion involving Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure, Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive, Belfast City Council and John Kelpie, Chief Executive, Derry City and Strabane District Council.

 

The economic insight shared by Grant Thornton’s Chief Economist Andrew Webb, showed that directly and indirectly Translink accounts for over 6,000 jobs in the local economy. This results in a total GVA impact of over £185m annually to the local economy.

 

It also pointed to many other catalytic economic impacts including tackling congestion, attracting inward investment, supporting social inclusion and enabling health, education, tourism and environmental benefits. The report reinforced European research from UITP, the International Association of Public Transport that found that every £1 invested in public transport generates a further £4 in the total economy.

 

A NI survey carried out as part of the economic study found that public transport supports the local economy and a number of key business sectors. 53% of survey respondents identified public transport as being important to accessing employment opportunities.  The retail sector was identified as a key beneficiary of public transport provision showing an average spend of £46 per journey via public transport. Meanwhile its role in supporting the local hospitality sector was clear with 36% of respondents reporting that their primary use of public transport was for leisure/socialising or hospitality – accounting for an average spend of £50 per trip.

 

Speaking at the event Andrew Webb said: “It is clear from our research that public transport is a vital cog in the local economy – delivering strong direct and indirect benefits. It also offers a wide range of catalytic impacts and clearly acts as a key enabler that supports the draft Programme for Government on a number of levels.  While we can quantify the direct impacts of the investment in public transport via Translink and demonstrate the clear value to the local economy directly and indirectly, the wider economic and societal benefits are almost inestimable. Our research shows that it plays a vital role in supporting workforce movement, tackling the financial and environmental costs of congestion, attracting inward investment and delivering sustainable movement of people and goods.

“We can also see the value it delivers to the environment and to the health of the nation, given its contribution to more active lifestyles and stress reduction. Its critical role in promoting social inclusion and connecting people with family and friends, employment and educational opportunities as well as health benefits also featured strongly in our research.”

 

Welcoming the early findings from the report, Chris Conway, CEO, Translink commented: “This report provides concrete evidence of the vital role public transport plays in Northern Ireland. As the research acknowledges, the draft Programme for Government already recognises the important role of public transport in supporting the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the region. Public transport represents an efficient use of resources and makes our towns and cities more competitive and more attractive places to live, invest in and visit. On that note we were delighted to welcome the Permanent Secretary from DfI, Katrina Godfrey, and Chief Executives of both Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council to discuss the role of public transport in the City Deal projects.”

 

“The economic analysis also points out however that despite its contribution, NI still lags behind other regions in the UK when it comes to public transport expenditure levels. Per capita spend in NI is 60% of that in England 40% of that in Scotland even though network coverage here is much higher. Against this backdrop, we need to continue to invest in public transport over the longer term.”

 

The stakeholder event was a key part of the fourth Translink Bus + Train Week initiative which is a platform to showcase the vital role public transport plays in developing our economy and delivering a modern, progressive and prosperous society. It is also a celebration of the benefits of using public transport in Northern Ireland and throughout the week there were many incentives to encourage more people to give public transport a try and #GetOnBoardNI. The week also represented the start of an Active Travel Month, where with other partners Translink is promoting a range of active travel options during the month of June.

 

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John Kelpie, Chief Executive, Derry City and Strabane District Council; Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure; Suzanne Wylie, Chief Executive, Belfast City Council; Chris Conway, CEO, Translink; Andrew Webb, Chief Economist, Grant Thornton and Stephen Edwards, Chairman UK Urban Transport Group.

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