Greens to push for service reform at Dublin Bus

THE GREEN Party has said it intends to push for service reform at Dublin Bus following criticism about its alleged failure to act over cutbacks at the semi-State company.

About 30 drivers from the Busworkers’ Action Group staged a two-hour protest outside the party’s office on Suffolk Street yesterday to highlight what it claimed was the “silence” of Green Party Ministers on the planned cuts.

Last month Dublin Bus announced it was to make 290 staff redundant and reduce its fleet by 120 buses. The company said it would lose €31 million this year, following a €10 million loss in 2008, unless it made the cuts.

Many of those at yesterday’s protest were critical of both the Green Party and of Dublin Bus for choosing to lay off employees who have recently joined the company rather than those who are close to retiring.

“Dublin Bus advertised for full-time drivers less than a year ago and people left their jobs to join the company only to find that their services are no longer required less than a year after they became employees,” said Mohammed Bervidjalal (37).

“I was working as a travel agent for four years before joining Dublin Bus and now just six months later I’m going to be made unemployed at the end of the month.”

Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said Dublin Bus was not serving its customers at present.

Separately, his party colleague and the Green Party spokesman on transport Ciarán Cuffe said he believed radical reform was needed at the company. “The Government has increased the amount of money it gives to Dublin Bus from €62 million in 2004 to €80 million in 2007 yet passengers have reduced by 1.5 million passengers over that period,” Mr Cuffe said. “It is only by making radical reforms to the routes and network that Dublin Bus can attract more passengers.”