The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has praised the government’s commitment to establishing a dedicated transport police, indicating it as a measure of success for their long-standing campaign.
The new transport police force, which aims to address rampant anti-social behaviour, is part of a programme developed by Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael, and independent representatives.
The campaign for a transport police service has garnered support from various public transport employees, advocating for increased safety and security in the wake of rising incidents of violence since the pandemic.
SIPTU’s Adrian Kane shared: “union representatives will be seeking an early meeting with the incoming Minister for Transport to ensure this commitment remains a top priority for the government and is delivered on in as short a timeframe as possible. “Our members working in the public transport network have long called for such a service, and it was their support and activism within the Respect Transport Workers campaign that has resulted in this move by the government parties.” He added: “The issue of anti-social behaviour and violence on the public transport network has intensified since the pandemic. “In our Travel Safe policy, we outlined the international best practice in terms of policing public transport and detailed how a transport policing service can be created in Ireland. We are pleased the government has taken this advice on board.”
