06 Sep 2016
Posted by Barry Aldworth 
Over 400,000 regular Dublin Bus customers are facing significant disruption as a result of planned strikes later this week. The AA is calling on the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross to allow all traffic to use bus lanes during the strike.
The loss of the bus service will lead to a significant increase in the number of motorists on all routes to and from Dublin City, as well commuter towns such as Bray, Greystones, Maynooth, Celbridge and Dunboyne is expected.
“It is unfortunate for it to come to this and we hope the strike will not happen.” Says director of Consumer Affairs Conor Faughnan. “But if it does go ahead then the only sensible thing to do is to allow all traffic to use the empty lanes. That is a call that Minister Shane Ross should make.”
While private buses and taxis also use the lanes the absence of the Dublin Bus service would see them wastefully under-used while commuters are facing long delays.
During the 2013 Dublin Bus Strike similar calls for bus lanes to be opened to motorists were turned down by the Department of Transport because of private buses & taxis. The AA believes that the greater good is better served by opening the lanes while the strike is on.
“It is not ideal of course but this strike is going to inconvenience hundreds of thousands of people. We should be making pragmatic decisions to lessen the effect.”
The AA is also reminding motorists who may carry additional passengers on the days of the strike to ensure they are in compliance with their insurance policy when doing so. Motorists covered under private insurance can accept a contribution towards fuel costs from any passengers, however, total payments received for any journey cannot involve an element of profit.
Check the details of the bus strikes to see if they affect you.
