Waiting game

THE 100 extra new buses that the Government has belatedly agreed to give Dublin Bus come with a sting in the tail — they will not be released until new routes have been opened up to private operators. Given the cumbersome tendering process, this could take months or even years.

Meanwhile, commuters will have to suffer further deterioration of an already sub-standard service.

The 100 extra buses fall far short of the 200 Dublin Bus says it needs, so even if they were delivered fairly soon they would make little difference.