National Bus and Rail Union issues warning on services

The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has said it cannot guarantee that its members will continue operating public transport services in the absence of social distancing recommendations advanced by health experts being implemented in the State-owned bus and train companies.

General secretary Dermot O’Leary also said it would back members who made a conscious decision not to handle cash over fears of contracting the virus.

He said Bus Éireann, in particular, should inform customers as a matter of urgency that they must buy tickets in advance of travelling or use a leap card.

He said these were health and welfare matters for staff rather than industrial relation issues.

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On Wednesday the NBRU said there should be a significant scaling back on the numbers permitted to travel on buses and trains to keep in line with “social distancing” recommendations put forward by public health experts.

It said the average full load on a double-deck bus was about 75 passengers when everyone seated and standing was included. The union said this should be reduced to about 45 to meet “social distancing” guidelines.

In a letter on Friday to the chief executives of the three State-owned transport companies – Dublin Bus, Bus Éireann and Irish Rail – Mr O’Leary said that its call for the application of social distancing and other requirements proposed by public health experts “had not been given the serious consideration that it warrants”.

“The NBRU is, in these difficult times, trying to ensure that the current requirement [in the absence of advice to the contrary] to operate public transport is supported. However, we cannot stand idly by and allow our members and commuters be exposed to the threat of contracting and/or spreading the coronavirus.”

Call for assurances

Mr O’Leary said the lack of hand sanitisers at points of entry to buses and trains was a major concern. He called for assurances that buses and trains would be disinfected at regular intervals.

He said Bus Éireann drivers and front-line personnel are particularly worried about their exposure to the virus as the company’s fleet did not have protective screens and it has a higher prevalence of customers paying by cash.

Mr O’Leary said the reduction in numbers travelling, coupled with maximum use of the fleet, “should provide for the enablement of social distancing”.

On Thursday Irish Rail told staff it was experiencing delays in securing supplies of hand sanitizers which have been ordered. Chief executive Jim Meade also said it was not practical or achievable to place hand sanitizers at entry points to trains.

He told the NBRU that its train fleet had more than 2,500 doors in total.

Mr Meade also told the union in a letter that there may be a significant reduction in the number of people travelling as the virus outbreak continues. He said maintaining maximum levels of service should in itself facilitate greater social distancing.

Mr Meade also signalled that there could be practical challenges associated with enforcing social distancing measures.