Transport

Huge Reduction to Dublin's Public Transport.

25 Jan, 2009

Dublin Bus is axing 290 jobs and withdrawing 120 buses, which is about 10 per cent of its fleet. The company blamed the decision on reduced passenger numbers, brought on by "the contraction of employment in the economy, the virtual cessation of growth in newly-developing areas of the city, and the considerable reduction in consumer spending". It says that no routes will be removed but the frequency of bus services in some areas would be reduced. Some 200 drivers are to lose their jobs, while up to 100 mechanics and administrative staff are also to be included in the redundancy package. Unions representing workers at the company have reacted to the news with a mixture of outrage and despair.

The national bus company, Bus Eireann, has also announced massive cutbacks, with about 320 staff set to join Ireland's ever growing queues of unemployed. The company is understood to have lost almost