Travel

Apparently only 10 per cent of commuters have taken the 'Leap' and bought into the new integrated ticketing smartcard.

Six months after the Leap card was launched the uptake has been less than impressive. Be that because of unimpressive discounts or lack of promotion the card is failing to make an impact.

Only 6 per cent of all Dublin Bus journeys have been paid for with the card so far. The other transport modes say similarly low usage. Around 7 per cent of Luas trips and 10 per cent of commuter DART journeys were made with the smartcard.

The figures come from the National Transport Authority and paint a less than rosy view of the new system. Presumably more promotion of the benefits of the card will need to happen.

There are currently just shy of 100,000 people with a Leap card and that number is rising by around a couple of thousand a week.

The ultimate aim will be to have almost 100 per cent of commuter journeys paid for with the prepaid card, like it's London counterpart, the Oyster card.