Waterford City bus service cancelled due to serious incident
The bus had to be cancelled on Thursday evening. Stock Image.
A Waterford City bus service had to be cancelled on Thursday evening due to a serious incident.
The W1 bus was cancelled yesterday evening due to anti-social behaviour at Ballybeg.
A spokesperson for Bus Éireann confirmed to the Waterford News & Star that they cancelled the service "pending garda response".
"The safety of our driver and passengers was prioritised, and we are reviewing the incident and all relevant procedures.
"The safety of our passengers and staff is of paramount importance to Bus Éireann, and any incidents reported are taken very seriously and are fully investigated.
"Customers or members of the public can also report any incidents to gardaí, to the driver, or to our Customer Care team on 0818 294 015," said the spokesperson.
The Waterford News and Star contacted An Garda Síochána but no comment was available at time of publishing.
According to WLR FM, a rock was thrown through a window, almost hitting a passenger.
The Bus Éireann spokesperson went on to say that the number of incidents like this remains low but they have a huge impact on passengers.
"Incidents of antisocial behaviour remain low across our network.
"However, Bus Éireann understands the impact even one such incident can have on our passengers and staff.
"In a recent report published by the NTA, 94% of customers report feeling safe using Bus Éireann services," said the spokesperson.
Therefore, Bus Éireann have put in place a set of procedures to combat anti-social behaviour.
Drivers have direct radio contact with a 24-hour control centre.
CCTV has been installed inside and outside the buses and in the bus stations, which in some cases have security personnel on patrol.
On the city fleet, drivers have security screens.
"Bus Éireann is committed to providing a safe workspace and service to our staff and customers and continues to engage all relevant stakeholders through various forums to ensure appropriate action is taken in response to incidents of antisocial or criminal behaviour," said the spokesperson.
