PHYLLIS PLANT,
A chara, - A major plank of the Government's transport strategy involves encouraging the greater use of public transport. I recently tried the buses but have now resolved that I will never leave myself in the position of having to rely on them again.
My experience began on a Monday morning waiting at the Square in Tallaght to get a bus to Dundrum. The bus was due at 9.10. I arrived at the stop at 9.00 and by 9.45 there was still no sign of the bus. I took a taxi, at a cost of €15. I had naively bought a day ticket, thinking it would be of use to me.
Returning from Dundrum, the bus arrived on time all right, but I had to listen to the driver being consistently rude to various passengers. He was especially annoyed at schoolchildren for failing to ring the bell in time for their stop. When it was pointed out to him that the bell was not working, he told the lad in question that he should open his "bloody mouth" to let him know he wished to get off.
But my worst experience was yet to come. On Saturday morning, hoping against the evidence that my experience thus far had been an aberration, I waited at the bus stop in Blessington to get the 9.35 bus to Rathvilley, Co Carlow.
By 9.45 there was no sign of the bus so a young lad who was waiting with me phoned Bus Éireann on his mobile. He was left waiting on hold so long that his call credit ran out and he was disconnected.
The bus actually pulled in at 9.50, when we were informed that it was full and could take no more passengers, but that a second bus was right behind to collect us. By 10.00 there was no sign of the second bus, so I accepted the offer of a lift from a friend of mine who had the good sense to use his own transport. The fate of my companion at the bus stop is unknown.
At 6.45 that evening I turned up at the bus stop in Rathvilley to catch the return bus to Blessington, due at 7 p.m. I was still standing there an hour and a quarter later, without having caught as much as a glimpse of a bus. By now it had got beyond a joke. I was stranded many miles from home and it was getting dark.
In desperation I began to thumb a lift, a risky course of action for a woman on her own on dark and lonely roads on a Saturday night. I knew it was unwise, but our public "transport" system had left me with no alternative. I finally arrived home, tired and footsore, at 21.00.
From now on my advice to any who ask will be: walk, ride a bike, drive a car, go on camel or by mule train, but for pity's sake don't leave yourself at the mercy of what is jokingly referred to as our public transport system. - Is mise,
PHYLLIS PLANT, Westpark, Blessington, Co Wicklow.