A regular bus user in Newry says the Towns services are nothing short of a disgrace – and believes the abuse bus drivers are taking is just not fair.
The woman, who wished not to be named, said Translink has been chipping away at the service for years and that erosion has really come to a head in recent weeks.
“If the buses are not constantly breaking down, they’re not turning up,” she said.
“You could be standing waiting for a bus, and the next thing, it just doesn’t turn up; no notice, nothing.”
The woman said that while it’s frustrating for her, she’s young and able, but for elderly and disabled people, many of whom rely heavily on these services, “it’s not good enough”.
She continued: “Translink has gone and made all these changes to the train lines and Grand Central Station, but they’ve completely neglected the Towns services locally.
“I have been using the bus in Newry for 15 years, and over that time they have been constantly chipping away at the services. The buses are falling apart, they’re disgusting inside.
“They’ve reduced the services on a Saturday to every two hours. I think they’re more interested in making their money on the bigger services; it’s almost like the elderly and those with bus passes don’t really matter to them because it’s not where they’re making their money.”
The woman condemned Translink bosses for neglecting the local services and said, “it’s the poor bus drivers who are getting it in the neck all the time.”
She said: “I’ve seen passengers in action, and they can be so horrible to the bus drivers who are just doing their jobs.
“Drivers get abuse if there are roadworks, or they have to take a slightly different route for something completely out of their control. They can only do so much; it’s not fair on them on the frontline, taking the abuse for failing services: broken-down buses and whatever else they have to deal with.”
The woman says she doesn’t expect much to change but really wanted to highlight an issue that is becoming untenable for many people who need a reliable service to go about their daily lives.
Armagh I reached out to Translink for comment but did not received a response.
