Burke slams Bus Éireann plans to scrap routes

Sinn Féin local election candidate in East Meath Sinéad Burke has described the latest plans by Bus Éireann to scrap some local bus routes as totally reprehensible. She has also hit out at Fine Gael’s proposals to allow private operators to run the routes which are being axed.

“Not content with the withdrawing 150 buses from its 1,300 strong fleet, cutting 322 of its 2,700 staff and axing 120 buses from the Dublin Bus fleet, the CIE in it’s infinite wisdom, carefully watched over by Fianna Fáil and the ‘Green’ Party will now reside over a further axing of 52 more rural commuter routes statewide.

“Services to Dublin, including the 102 Ardcath route, the east Meath coast route through Laytown, and some Drogheda routes will be reduced or withdrawn.“The fact that these routes are being savagely cut in order to ‘balance the books’ is an insult to those who depend on public transport to get them from A to B. While Bus Éireann has a duty to balance its books its first duty is to provide a service to the citizens of this state regardless of the profitability of the service itself.

“The utter hypocrisy of the so-called Green Party on this issue is appalling. Their feigned sense of concern and election promises of ‘making public transport a priority’ are a joke and it is clear that Minister Gormley and co. have absolutely no intention of prioritising public transport.“Fine Gael’s privatisation agenda has again risen its ugly head with calls for the axed routes to be taken on by private operators.

“This government and its ideological cohorts in Fine Gael are utterly intent on hammering the final nail in the coffin of public transport. It is up to all those who know the true value of public services and their contribution to our economy and society as a whole to stand up and defend them in the upcoming elections by snubbing Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party at the polls.”