Harney’s ideological block on new buses

I AM appalled that a proposal by Transport Minister Martin Cullen to fund 100 new vehicles for Dublin Bus, at a cost of €300 million to the State, is being blocked by Tánaiste Mary Harney who is insisting that the bus market be reformed before any more public money is invested in the company.

Because of the stand-off, there is growing concern that new bus lanes on busy routes — one in Ms Harney’s own constituency of Dublin Mid West — have no vehicles to serve the travelling public.

And all of this because of her ideological demand that 25% of Dublin’s bus routes be opened to private operators.

Harristown was supposed to be an ultra-modern bus garage with low-floor, wheelchair-accessible buses. Instead Dublin Bus was forced to send the worst heaps of junk in the entire city bus fleet to that depot.

While Ms Harney wants 25% of Dublin’s bus routes serving the city centre opened to private operators, the trade unions will accept competition on only 15% of the new and expanding routes in the greater Dublin area.

Perhaps those PD members and supporters who are trade union members would like to try to defend the Tánaiste’s irrational stance against people using public transport.

Paul Kinsella

53 Lorcan Grove

Santry

Dublin 9