To ask the Minister for Regional Development what action his Department is taking to improve the public perception of, and attitude towards, the use of public transport.

My Department's Travelwise Northern Ireland initiative is seeking to promote, and raise the awareness levels of the general public, towards more sustainable transport options including cycling, walking, greater use of public transport. This includes car sharing and park and ride facilities, in order to encourage a change in public attitudes away from the private car as the main mode of travel in Northern Ireland.

In addition my Department established an Active Travel Forum during March 2010 with the principal aim of drawing up a high level strategy for active travel, setting out the framework to help people choose more sustainable and active transport modes, including walking and cycling for shorter everyday journeys and linked to public transport for longer trips. The draft Active Travel strategy, is currently being finalised and will set out the strategic context and vision, as well as proposals for future programme and partnership delivery mechanisms.

Information about the range of Travelwise initiatives can be found at www.nidirect.gov.uk/travelwiseni.

In consultation with key stakeholders, my Department is also taking steps to implement the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. This legislation enables contracts be awarded and introduces a new system of regulation for public transport services, helping to ensure that decisions on services are taken in the public interest.

In recognition of the importance of Park and Ride in promoting sustainable transport, and with the aim of developing proposals which would offer the best prospect of maximising modal shift away from the private car to public transport, my Department recently published a Strategic review of Park and Ride including the provision of quality bus corridors. The Review sets out a number of conclusions and recommendations, and identifies those Park and Ride sites which the Department will aim to prioritise as available funding permits.

In the most recent Passengers Charter monitor (spring 2011), Translink met or exceeded all reliability and punctuality targets for both bus and rail. In addition, customer satisfaction also remains at very high levels.

Translink recently announced there will be no fares increase in 2011 across bus and rail services. Fares being frozen combined with a high quality bus and rail service means that there has never been a better time to switch to public transport.

Reflecting the depth of commitment to continue to invest in improving public transport, the table below sets out the budget plans for Translink for each of the next four years:

The figures above have not been adjusted for recent announcements made in respect of Londonderry to Coleraine track relay or on street car parking charges in Provincial towns. It is intended to confirm these adjustments when budget mechanisms allow.