Warning comes after latest in series of sporadic attacks on Buses last Saturday in the Falls Park area

September 25th: Jackie Pollock, Unite deputy Regional Secretary, issued a warning on behalf of his union’s Metro drivers, that they could withdraw bus services from the Falls Park area of West Belfast:

“Over recent months our drivers have repeated highlighted their concerns about services in this area because of organised gathering of youths who were then carrying out various types of ‘anti-social behaviour’.

“Last Saturday, three Metro buses were attacked passing the same area. In one case the attack resulted in a young child being covered with shattered glass from a broken side window. A second attack later that night resulted in a driver being too badly traumatised to come to work the next day.

“Our drivers are now seeking assurances from community representatives that these attacks will be stopped or else they will be forced to divert and then withdraw services from these areas”, Mr Pollock concluded.

Speaking on behalf of the drivers, Michael Dornan, Chair of the Metro drivers’ branch of Unite said:

“We condemn Saturday’s attacks on bus drivers and their passengers but warn that these are only the latest attacks by these mindless hooligans.

“These reckless and indiscriminate attacks could have led to serious injury to drivers or to passengers and should be condemned by the whole community. One of our drivers was severely traumatised and was unable to continue work whilst one of the other attacks could have led to a young baby being blinded or worse.

“Bus Drivers are made up of people from all sections of the community, providing a much needed service – they have the right to go to work without being subjected to attack or threat.

“Our union is seeking assurances over the next few days from those that represent the community where these attacks took place. If they are not stopped, we are a strong unified work force and we will be forced to first divert, and then withdraw, bus services from any area where these mindless attacks persist”, Mr Dornan said.