NI Conservatives spokesman, Bill Manwaring, has welcomed news that the Assembly’s regional development committee will launch an inquiry into Translink.
“This investigation should be thorough and all-encompassing”, Bill said. “There are a range of questions which need to be asked of a company, funded by the taxpayer, which is set to make £22 million losses. In particular we need to establish whether gold-plated packages for executives, including generous perks, are providing value for money.”
“Translink salaries are substantially above equivalent salaries in private sector transport providers. We need to look at whether this model is the best means to provide public transport into the future, in terms of service and affordability. There is a growing sense of unease, given that fares are rising, customers are unhappy and the taxpayer is now expecting to fund heavy losses.”
“This inquiry needs to be thorough and we also need to be open minded about the future of public transport in Northern Ireland. The executive should prioritise cutting costs, cutting fares and providing taxpayers with the best possible value for money.”