Protests against Dublin Bus cutbacks

DEMONSTRATIONS AGAINST changes and cutbacks to Dublin Bus services will take place across the capital today.

The protests, organised by the Save Our Bus Services campaign, are being described as the “first step” in a concerted “fightback against cuts in public transport services for the most vulnerable communities”. The campaign is being co-ordinated by People Before Profit in conjunction with affected communities.

The protests take place in Inchicore, Ringsend, Dundrum, Donnycarney, Crumlin, Ballymun, Whitehall, Finglas, Dún Laoghaire and Clondalkin at 2 pm, with a further “mass demo” outside Dublin Bus headquarters in O’Connell Street planned for next weekend.

Dublin Bus has been changing, and in some cases eliminating, routes in the city since September last year, as part of its Network Direct project.

Further changes are planned which campaigners say will cause more hardship for the elderly, the sick and less well-off who are dependent on a quality service.

A spokeswoman for the company said the changes were not intended to cause hardship but to to improve and enhance services, and were being implemented in consultation with the public.

“These changes have been implemented on a phased basis and . . . extensive public information campaign.”

Affected areas so far have been Stillorgan, Dún Laoghaire, Bray, north Wicklow, Blanchardstown,Lucan and north Kildare, she said.

Consultations were ongoing about planned changes in Clondalkin, Ballymun, Coolock, Cabra, Donaghmede, Artane, Ballyfermot, Finglas east, west and south, Glasnevin, Drumcondra, Tallaght, Walkinstown, Crumlin Road, South Circular Road, Pearse Street, Sandymount, Kilmacud, Ballinteer, Goatstown and Dundrum.

Patsy Doolin, a Ringsend resident and member of Save the Number 3 Bus campaign, said she was “overwhelmed” at how difficult it is to get a bus.

Bobby O’Toole, a Monkstown resident and member of Save the 46A campaign, said: “It is the most vulnerable – the elderly and people with young children – who are suffering.”