Drivers on 27, 77a and 65b routes may not serve West Tallaght after 6pm from Monday
By Aura McMenamin
Drivers from the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) and SIPTU will attend a crisis meeting with Dublin Bus management on Friday morning, as bus services in West Tallaght remain in jeopardy.
A high number of antisocial incidents have taken place on the 27, 77a and 65b routes in areas including Jobstown, Brookfield and Killinarden since May.
These have included the throwing of missiles at buses, an assault on a driver last month and scutting on the back of buses.
In a letter to the Operations Managers at the Ringsend and Clontarf bus garages, NBRU representatives said services on all three routes would be terminating at the Square from 6pm next Monday, September 11.
They went on to say that these rolling stoppages will also take place on Wednesday, September 13th and Friday September 15th if an intervention by community gardai does not take place.
According to the NBRU, a request to hold an emergency meeting with community gardai about the issues has ‘fallen on deaf ears’.
The Echo understands that following the NBRU’s announcement, Dublin Bus management called for the crisis meeting at 8am on Friday morning, and that reps and drivers from the NBRU and SIPTU in Ringsend garage will attend. Reps from the bus depot in Clontarf have also been invited.
A meeting among SIPTU drivers was held today to discuss whether they would also consider withdrawing their services.
Speaking to the Echo.ie, Steve Hannon, SIPTU representative at Ringsend garage said: “What’s happening is that drivers are concerned with their safety. They believe if it continues, then one of their drivers or passengers will be seriously hurt.
“We got feedback from drivers at the meeting today that they are concerned but they don’t want to put people in the area out. Some drivers don’t see the point in having gaps in between days, so if stoppages occur, they would want to see them for the full week.”
Mr Hannon said that tomorrow’s meeting would influence their decision on whether or not to take action, and that it required a joint-union position.
At the last Dublin Bus/Luas Community Forum held last Friday, NBRU representatives called the lack of community attendance at the meeting ‘atrocious’.
Since then, several incidents on these routes including a spanner through a window last Tuesday.
