TD for Dublin Mid-West Mark Ward has expressed his concerns about the increase in the number of Dublin Bus routes that have had to be curtailed due to anti-social behaviour this year and in the last two months. There has been an overall increase of 34% on this time last year and an unbelievable increase of 200% during the months of July and August from 2019 to 2020
Teachta Ward said: “I asked the Minister for Justice to provide a report on how many times Dublin Bus Routes were curtailed due to anti-social behaviour and on individual bus routes over the last 2 years after a number of residents contacted me after they were forced off the bus before their stop due to anti-social behaviour. “The increase in the number of buses curtailed due to anti-social behaviour is shocking.
“The 40 bus which services my area operates on a route between Charlestown Shopping Centre and Liffey Valley Shopping Centre, has been forced to curtail its service because of vandals throwing stones and setting off fireworks at buses. This route accounts for over 38% of all bus stoppages this year. “This coincides with the illegal use of fireworks that are terrorising our communities on a nightly basis and adds further to the sense of lawlessness in our areas.
“Enough is enough and I have had residents onto me who have been left waiting on buses or have been asked to leave the bus well before their desired stop. This is really affecting people of my community. “Years of underinvestment in Community Gardai are coming home to roost now. Community Garda numbers in Dublin have decreased by 55% from 508 in 2010 to 278 in July 2020. This needs to be addressed. The Community Gardai are doing their best but are hampered by the lack of resources”.
“There is a noticeable lack of Gardai in the night time in our areas and this is not helping. “This decision has left our communities very vulnerable. “Dublin Bus, Gardai and other community stakeholders need to come together to combat this problem. “I am asking anybody involved in this anti-social behaviour to cop on and cease their attacks on our communities. “At the end of the day the people who are affected by their actions are their own family, friends and neighbours.
