Following last night’s hijacking and petrol bombing of a bus in Belfast, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon today said:
“Our bus drivers deserve to be safe and they deserve our respect and gratitude.”
The Minister was speaking after a positive meeting between Translink and the Unions where it was agreed that for the coming days, Translink will closely monitor services and the situation on the ground before making a determination on the safety of running services. This will be done in consultation with the PSNI.
Minister Mallon said: “I can understand why bus drivers gathered at City Hall after the attack on one of our drivers last night and I stand in full support and solidarity with them. All bus drivers deserve to feel safe as they go about their job. These public servants, men and women, are mothers and fathers, sons and daughters. They transport our health workers to hospitals, all of us to and from work, children to school, they are a fundamental part of our society and have been working on the front line throughout this pandemic. They deserve to be safe and they deserve our respect and gratitude.
“I appeal again to those responsible for these attacks to stop. There is no place for violence in our society. Attacking public services, destroying your own streets and terrifying your own neighbours will achieve nothing. Enough is enough. We need calm and we need to restore peace on our streets.”