Sir, - I note that the CIE, Dublin Bus and Bus Eireann viability plan has once again been rejected by the unions. I recall, that while on a visit to Scotland a couple of years ago, that I travelled on one of the many regional bus services that operate from Sterling to Edinburgh. In conversation with the driver I learnt that bus services throughout Scotland had been rejigged, ie privatised, and that in fact many bus companies were now worker co-operatives and were working very successfully, with modern equipment that included a significant number of wheelchair accessible buses.
Perhaps the time has come for our monolithic utilities to be split up and given a mandate to operate efficiently giving the public a service that we can be proud of, unlike that which, despite the best efforts of many staff, exists at the moment. - Yours, etc., Derrick Hambleton,
(Member of Galway Corporation's newly set up Transportation & Infrastructure Strategic Policy Committee, representing the Environment/Conservation sector.)
Manor Avenue,
Kingston,
Galway.