Dublin Bus drivers are at the brink of no longer stopping at overloaded stops in the city centre due to ongoing capacity and security issues.
With the ongoing taxi shortage in Dublin coupled with the introduction of 24 hour bus services drivers are faced with more customers at popular stops than available capacity in their vehicles. And there are now fears that another dangerous incident, similar to the tragedy at Wellington Quay in 2004 where five people died, could happen.
On top of that there are ongoing issues across the network with anti social behaviour. And a recruitment drive is currently underway to bring up the number of drivers currently working for Dublin Bus.
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Driver Sean Yates said that Dublin Bus hands are tied and that all extra capacity and resources has to go through the National Transport Authority. As a result, issues are being brought to the union with little action taken.
He told Pat Kenny: "It's a bit of a horror story at the moment. The drivers are reporting the capacity issues, the anti social issues, around key stops in the city centre. It's becoming really problematic. They are fearful that it's going to escalate with potential for another Wellington Quay. The unions have written to the company in relation to it and unfortunately from Dublin Bus's point of view - years ago, where they'd just be able to slot a bus in - they have to go to the NTA for funding for anything these days.
"Say a bus comes out as D'Olier St for example, everyone clearing out at the one time. So it's a 24 hour service, everyone wants to go home, you've a bus coming round with a capacity of 90, there could be 60 people standing at the stop and then there's 30 or 40 already on the bus."
He continued: "The drivers are frustrated because obviously they just want to load and go. So they've been venting their anger at the trade unions and we obviously in turn have had to get onto Dublin Bus and say look we need capacity issues resolved here and also there's an element of security to assist with loading of the buses in the streets.
"Unfortunately we don't have any security. We do have inspectors at various times during the day, not so much at night. Again we've also asked for that to even be increased. But again the buck stops, once again, with the NTA. Cause Dublin Bus only operate the service, the NTA would have to fund any level of security and at the moment we don't have any. It's a good thing to have the buses running through the night, but you have to have the infrastructure there that works alongside it."
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