Dublin Bus warned on private operators

MINISTER FOR Transport Noel Dempsey has warned Dublin Bus he will not allow the company to drive private operators off the road.

In a sharp rebuke to the company about anti-competitive practices, Mr Dempsey said that "Dublin Bus is on notice" that, in future, "I will not be issuing letters to it" on the matter of competition with private bus operators.

"I will be issuing directives and directions if it comes to my attention that it is engaged in that kind of behaviour."

The Minister was responding during transport questions to Fine Gael spokesman Fergus O'Dowd, who raised concerns about "Dublin Bus abusing its dominant position in the marketplace", following the demise of private operator Circle Line.

Mr O'Dowd said a 2007 Department of Transport report showed that Dublin Bus was operating services on the 25X route "well in excess of the approved levels" in a way, he said, "that bears no resemblance to the timetable, and that its buses were travelling in convoy before and after its vehicles, and at the bus stops there were Dublin Bus vehicles parked as well".

Mr Dempsey did not want to say much about the case because of ongoing court cases "but it is a perfect illustration of the reason we need to change the 1932 Act" under which private bus operators are licensed.

Much work had been done on new legislation but he was not sure if the Bill would be published during the current session.