Sir, - Your article "Profitable CIE seeks rises in fares" (June 5th) in which CIE chairman Mr Brian Joyce said that: "There had been no general fare increase since 1991 ..." was interesting and unsettling. Is Brian Joyce trying to tell Dublin Bus passengers that their fares have not risen in the last seven years? Dublin Bus regularly increases fares. An example is the route 69X adult fare, which has increased from £1.10 to £1.50 over the last six or seven years. The recent scrapping by Dublin Bus of the popular and convenient 10-journey ticket was also in effect a fare hike (a rather sneaky one). Yet CIE maintains, in real terms, fares have dropped since 1991. Who is fooling who here?
In another recent article in The Irish Times, Dublin Bus was described as "the poor man's travel alternative." In my mind not an inaccurate description, because like the poor in general, CIE passengers are treated with contempt, disregard and ignorance.
The Minister for Public Enterprise, Ms O'Rourke, should not allow CIE get its fare rises of up to 10 per cent. If CIE does get its increase there will be another car added to Dublin's traffic - mine. - Yours, etc., John Richards,
Clondalkin, Dublin 22.