Strike causes travel chaos in North Wicklow
PUBLIC LEFT STRANDED ON FRIDAY AS SECONDARY PICKETS SEE DUBLIN BUS AND DART SERVICES GRIND TO A HALT
WILDCAT transport strikes caused morning madness in Bray last Friday morning, with the decision by Bus Eireann staff to establish secondary pickets at Irish Rail and Dublin Bus depots causing public transport in the town to grind to a halt.
Their unofficial action began at 4 a.m. and, with their train and bus counterparts unwilling to pass picket lines, all Dart services were cancelled (although two early commuter trains from Rosslare and Gorey made their way up the line) while most Dublin Bus routes went without.
Friday’s incident followed a week of strike action by drivers at Bus Éireann and while the secondary strikes were called off around 10 a.m. that morning, the main strike action continues.
For one woman there were very serious consequences to Friday’s travel chaos, as she was unable to visit her daughter in hospital.
The Bray woman’s adult child is in a mental health facility and not very well at all. Her mother’s visits are extremely important to her.
‘It makes all the difference to see someone during the day,’ said her mother. ‘She would be able to get through another day.’
The woman said that with some notice, she would have been able to make alternative arrangements.
‘It seems to me that people don’t count,’ she said. ‘I used to support the strike but I’m not supporting it anymore.’
At Bray Dart Station, 60 Spanish students from Language Academy Ireland waited for a private coach booked at the last minute.
‘ They only arrived yesterday so this is a great show of Irish hospitality,’ said school owner Jacqueline Sababout.
‘We were going in to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells and the various museums in Dublin,’ said Jacqueline. ‘ They have been left stranded by this strike. We have it all booked so we’re going in anyway. I’ve arranged a coach with Joe Moroney, who very kindly gave me a coach at very short notice. ‘ There was some panic,’ she said. ‘All the host families contacted me this morning because we had arranged to meet here and take the Dart.’
Karen Hammond was trying to travel to work at a yoga studio in Dublin city. While the action was ultimately lifted by 10 a.m., she didn’t know that at the time of speaking.
‘I heard on the radio that there was disruption but didn’t find out that there definitely wouldn’t be Darts until I got here.
‘Obviously it’s annoying that I can’t get in to work, but I do support the strikers,’ she said.
James O’Dwyer was at the start of his journey to Sligo for a college open day which was taking place the following day.
‘I was going to get a bus first from Ballywal- trim. There were no buses, so I walked down here and there were no trains.’
The picket was lifted shortly after that, so James’ journey could get under way.
Kyle Long got a train from Arklow, one of the few Irish Rail services to operate on Friday morning.
‘I was meant to be going to Dublin. I got off in Bray because I heard the Darts weren’t running. I thought it would be better to get stranded in Bray rather than Dublin because my sister works up here,’ he said. ‘It’s annoying having to wait around.’
As news broke that the secondary pickets would cease and services resume, three Dublin Bus double decker buses pulled around the corner and into place at the station, their drivers ready to get back to work.