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Bus drivers restore Finglas services
Dublin Bus drivers who withdrew from a number of routes in Finglas this weekend because of anti-social behaviour have agreed to restore services, stating they had received assurances the issues would be tackled.
Trade unions Siptu and the National Bus and Railworkers' Union (NBRU) said they had agreed to return to work on the 40 and 220 routes serving parts of the north Dublin village. Some services in Ballymun were also withdrawn last night after a gang of youths reportedly began throwing stones at buses.
Drivers withdrew their services due to health and safety concerns after a series of such attacks.
Siptu claimed there had been, on average, one attack daily over the past three weeks. Bus windows had been broken and the union said it was "only a matter of time" until there was serious injury to passengers or drivers.
John McCamley, Siptu shop steward at Harristown bus depot, told ireland.com the drivers had met early this morning with Dublin Bus management, gardai and local politicians.
Mr McCamley said the drivers were happy with some assurances given and had agreed to restore the routes as a gesture of goodwill.
He said the assurances included guarantees of heightened police visibility and that, where incidents occurred, there would be a "rapid response" by management and gardaí.
The union official said an education programme would also be put in place in schools, to highlight the importance of the bus services locally.
However, he said the problem of anti-social behaviour needed to be tackled in other ways, possibly involving the introduction of a transport policing service such as that in operation in parts of Britain.
"We will be going into a series of talks about anti-social behaviour but we are looking for a long-term solution or this will happen again," he said.
© 2008 ireland.com
