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EVERYDAY PEOPLE ARE refusing to fold up their prams on Dublin Bus to allow wheelchair users on board, according to Dublin Bus worker director Stephen Hannan.
Speaking before the Oireachtas Transport Committee this week, the member of the National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) called for new rules or legislation to be introduced to make it mandatory for buggy users to fold up their prams and make space for wheelchair users.
The union was in front of the committee this week to discuss the new BusConnects plan – the radical redesign for the Dublin Bus route network.
Anne Graham, CEO of the National Transport Authority (NTA), said the new plan will be “vastly beneficial for the greater Dublin area”.
However, she did admit that some people will have to change buses to get to their destination. She said this measure will ensure people will be able to get to their destination in shorter overall trip time.
However, members of the NBRU were critical of the plan, stating that bus users will be severely discommoded.
Head of the union, Dermot O’Leary said that while 100% of the Dublin Bus fleet is wheelchair accessible, the fact some users will have to change buses and get on to another bus during their journey will be difficult for disabled people.
Commuters refusing to fold up buggies
Hannan told the committee that while it is great that the fleet is now fully accessible, wheelchair users are not able to get on the bus due to people not folding down their prams.
He called for new regulations or possibly legislation to force commuters to fold down their buggy to make room on the bus for wheelchair users.
“What is the use in having wheelchair accessible buses if the wheelchair people, disabled people can’t use them,” Hannan told the committee, adding:
I am going through this every day of the week – people are not listening to me. A person there in a wheelchair tries to get on and there are two people with prams that refuse to fold up the prams because they don’t have to. The people can’t access these buses.
That is how simple that is. They should be made fold the prams – whether it takes legislation or not to do this something needs to be done to protect the disabled people.
Turned away
Earlier this year, the case on one wheelchair user being turned away because the priority space on the bus was taken by a woman with a buggy was highlighted by TheJournal.ie.
The incident happened on the number 13 bus at Ballymun Shopping Centre on the city’s northside.
54-year-old Caroline O’Leary told TheJournal.ie that when she told the bus driver that she should have priority, he insisted that she shouldn’t.
I was on the left of the doors and the girl with the buggy was on the other side. Immediately the bus stopped she pushed her way on and took up the wheelchair space. The driver then told me he was sorry, but there was no room.I told him that I should have priority and he told me that I don’t. Then he shut the doors.
Five seconds later he opened them again, just as it was starting to rain, and asked me if I wanted to speak to his controller. We told him to drive on and stop annoying us.He insisted that “there’s nothing physically I can do about it”, so I presume the woman must have refused to move.
However, if a wheelchair user wishes to board a bus and there is an unfolded buggy in this space, the driver will request the buggy owner to fold their buggy but cannot compel them to fold them.
We regularly run poster campaigns on all buses in our fleet to highlight to all customers that this space is a dedicated space for wheelchair users.
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No mention of building a rail line to the airports, Dublin, Cork, and Shannon.
Most other European countries have rail lines at their airports.
Can’t even run a bus service, can’t imagine why I think they’d be able to manage this.
@Rafa C: This is just talk and fees for consultants.Another review and plans in 5 more years and more wasted money.
@Peter McCormack: Starting costs €100m. 10 years later and €1bn spent and not near finished.
@Rafa C: no need for a rail service to shannon. Airport. The Train to galway from limerick takes 2 hrs when it takes just over an hour by car. They closed the foynes line and now want it reopened. The same with the waterford to roslare line.
@Rafa C: it’d be difficult for cork airport due to it being on top of a hill. Much easier for Shannon to run a spur off the limerick Ennis Galway line.
@Nerb: Breaking News: trains can’t go uphills.
@Rafa C: Cork airport, was supposed to be built down in east cork and connected to rail line. But some farmer go t rich, selling his land and guess who was in Government then?
@Peter McCormack: agreed sir . Remember the metro !!!!
@brian madden: Out if curiosity, who is this ‘they’ you refer to when you say ‘they’ closed the Foynes line?
@brian madden: Are you right there Michael are you right?
@Rafa C: Any guess on many mamageare on 6 figure salaries ?
@Rafa C: Any guess how many Managers are on 6 figure salaries?
@Rafa C: Breaking news: Yes they can.
@Rafa C: there is logic in a rail link to Dublin airport, but not to the others. You need volume for rail, otherwise a bus is a more cost-effective solution.
Not every European airport has a rail link.
This EU Army thing ain’t going away any time soon, no matter how often or strongly the Electorate inform the Establishment that it’s a non-runner.
Michael Martin has seamlessly picked up the baton from Simon Coveney and continued running with it as fast as he can.
These guys don’t give up even though they have no mandate from the people. Mandates are a thing of the past it would appear.
We need to give these schemers a strong reminder who’s boss in the next election.
@Conway Whitty: what eu army , did i miss something in the article ?
“At least every 2 hours” service.
You will find war torn 3rd world countries with higher public transport standards than that. What is accepted by the voters in this country is a joke.
@GoodBrother: Off you go then to your 3rd World Idyll.
This is the silly season when Ministers start shouting their mouths off. Shouting about things that will never happen.
Cabbage Ryan talks about a train station at Belfast airport, what about a station at Dublin Airport? Let’s reduce the traffic around the airport.
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: there’s actually stations at both ni airports. Ones not in use though. I like the way that there’s the impression given that many new lines are being built. Limerick foynes and Waterford rosslare already exist – but out of use. My guess is that the foynes line will move quickly ahead as is passes thru Adare …. and what’s happening in 2027 – the Ryder Cup.
@Nerb: Agreed. All current mainline network were put in place by the British. This is all a fudge by Ryan and the government to take Dublin Airport off the current agenda.
Not a chance of any of this happening! All pie in the sky,
@Ollie Fitzpatrick: Dublin Airport is supposed to be going to be served under the Metro North tram or whatever its called.
This report is about developing the rail network outside of Dublin for a change
Before the Rosslare to Waterford route closed down the timetable was practically non existent. E.g. the early morning train had already departed when the Boat arrived in Rosslare. No other train all day then till it departed Waterford around 5.30pm.
Why is the NATO article hidden in this story, and without its own headline? Strange
@Paul Keane: What NATO Article? Do you mean the bit about the EU exercise and battlegroup?
Train to Cavan through Navan?
Must an election on the way..
@Dave Grant: *be
This will make a great bedtime story and look good on the shelf with the three bears.
Zero chance of this ever happening, they can’t even build a hospital without going four times over the budget. Not to mention that we still don’t have a rail link to the airport, still no motorway between Cork & Limerick, still no bypass of Galway city, so chances of new train routes are non existent!!
They will be growing turnips on Mars before Donegal is included in the rail network.
Hourly service between cities. They can’t run to time with what they have. Think ye better think it out again.
We had a brilliant boss of CIE back in the 50s and 60s who decimated the rail network.
@paulinlavally@gmail.com: Are you referring to Tubridy’s grandfather?
@Nodon: Yes brilliant strategy rip up the lines in case someone might consider using them in the future
Another fairytale idea that no doubt will cost millions is reports and meetings and will end up being nothing more than a report on an a dusty shelf in a few years time
Jeez, 2023 and they’re looking at ideas! No government has ever done this research before?
If the minister is serious about rail travel one thing that needs to be taken care of is increased trains in the Rosslare Dublin line higher speed trains which would entail moving the line away from the coast where the line is currently subject to frequent rick falls and coastal flooding.
@Pat Barden: Talk to train checker and they will tell you about Rosslare line!
Woo hoo rail freight to rosslare , rail handles bulk and container traffic , rosslare doesnt ,it handles ro / ro and its already short on space..
Belview in waterford can handle bulk and container, amd it already has a rail connection
Expensive nonsense it really is. Athenry to Clarmorris is particularly ridiculous but this will prevent greenways being installed on derelict rail alignments which is also daft. Build the connection from Dublin Airport first & stop wasting our money on ‘consultants’ that will tell vested interests what they want to hear.Amen
A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing!
Work well advanced on reinstatement of Limerick to Foynes railway.
Work underway on land north of Rosslare Europort to enable the port to be reconnected to the railway – key piece of infrastructure for supporting offshore wind turbines construction and maintenance.
However, not a single word on the option to upgrade the Drogheda to Navan line to cater for commuters. The old Meath line, which currently terminates in Pace, north of Dunboyne, will likely take decades to be extended to Navan.
the same train lines they ripped up years ago will now be rebuilt at multiples of the cost…would the wappet who suggested getting rid of the train lines in the first place please stand up and enlighten us with your wisdom..Only in Ireland….
Clowns and circus comes to mind, but I wonder why the journal decided to put the eu. Military exercise in the middle of it. There is no mandate to be part of the eu. Military machine.
@john christopher: You mean NATO
@F2yxfluD: no its an eu battle group
@F2yxfluD: nothing to do with NATO.
What about running a an overhead train line down the middle of the m50 turning all the exists into travel hubs ,
Be grand until some coach catches fire.
A direct rail link from Limerick to Shannon Airport and the same for Cork and Dublin cities is badly needed
And make the most sense ..
Not included here though
Eamonn’s been out with his crayons again, colouring in the map.
Pure fantasy stuff.
Roll on the GE.
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