‘We need to ensure that bus services are preserved and protected for the community’

BUS drivers feel that the 27 bus terminus in Jobstown is “very isolated” and South Dublin County Council is going to look at the issue, according to Cllr Charlie O’Connor.

This is one of several issues that were raised at an emergency Dublin Bus/Luas Community Forum meeting in the Plaza Hotel on Tuesday morning, amid issues with anti-social behaviour on local buses.

At present, the buses are running curtailed routes from 6pm every evening, impacting the 27, 77A, 56A and 65B routes through West Tallaght, where most of the anti-social behaviour was occurring.

The 77A is not serving Whitestown Way and Killinarden Heights, while the 65B also isn’t serving Killinarden heights in the evening.

The 27 is not serving Cheeverstown Road, Brookfield Road and Russell Square, while the 56A is not serving the N81, Cheeverstown Road, Cookstown Road and Fettercairn.

The meeting on Tuesday is the second emergency meeting held to deal with the issue, and was attended by local gardaí, politicians, Dublin Bus officials, and representatives from unions SIPTU and the NBRU.

One of the topics that was covered at the meeting was the apparent isolation of the Jobstown terminus of the 27.

The terminus was also the location of an attack against a female driver last month, when a group of around 40 youths forced their way onto the bus and assaulted the driver. The driver, who has only been identified as Deborah, said she feared she would be raped or killed during the incident.

Speaking about the concerns about the location of the terminus, Cllr Charlie O’Connor said: “When drivers go to park at the terminus in Jobstown, they’re very isolated.

“We need to look at that. The council is arranging for us to go up there with the unions and the guards to have a look at it and see what we can do.”

It was also confirmed at the meeting that gardaí and Dublin Bus officials have been going into local schools to make students aware of the importance of respecting their local bus service.

Commenting on the meeting, the superintendent of Tallaght Garda Station, Tomas Gormley, said: “It was a very good meeting, it was very well attended.

“Everyone there was very eager to get this resolved.”

There have been additional garda resources deployed to the area in recent weeks, including gardaí being on buses, and Supt Gormley said this will continue for as long as it’s needed.

“In relation to patrols, we’ll keep doing what we’re doing until this gets resolved,” he said.

“We’ve had very positive feedback from the community. People are seeing gardaí out and about and travelling on buses and there has been a reduction in incidents.”

The next meeting of the Dublin Bus/Luas Community Forum will take place next week, on Friday, February 3, when these issues will be revisited.

Cllr O’Connor added: “It’s important that when all of this additional activity winds down, that we remember that the people who have been causing these problems will still be out there.

“We need to ensure that the bus services are preserved and protected for the community.”