€7 Million Bill for Storing Unused Electric Buses Expected to Rise, Committee Hears

The chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee has expressed concerns that the €7 million cost associated with storing electric buses is projected to increase further.

The committee was previously informed of a «serious litany of failures» that resulted in over 130 State-funded electric double-decker buses remaining idle due to a lack of charging infrastructure. The National Transport Authority (NTA) disclosed that it is currently incurring approximately €20,000 per week to store 98 electric buses that are not yet ready for deployment into the national fleet.

According to NTA figures, the weekly storage cost per bus is €202. These costs are anticipated to rise by an additional half a million euro before all buses are operational. Sinn Féin TD John Brady described the weekly storage expenditure as a «scandal.»

Mr. Brady highlighted that some of the stored buses are not scheduled to enter service until next year. He stated, «On top of the €7m that has been spent already, there's the prospect of spending another half a million euro in additional storage costs until all of those buses come into service. That can't be allowed to happen. It's absolutely ridiculous. This should be going into frontline services.» Fine Gael TD Grace Boland also condemned the storage costs as a «disgrace,» noting that some buses have been in storage for more than two years, deeming it «not acceptable.»