Translink document says 20 bus services 'could be cancelled' - Unite

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-31725887

Version 0 of 1.

A union has said they have seen a leaked Translink document proposing the cancellation of 20 town bus services.

It follows a warning from Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy about the impact of savings of £60m he has to make.

He said cuts to next year's budget would mean his department would not have enough money to fund basic services like traffic light repairs.

Public Transport company Translink will also face major cuts.

"There's a leaked document released by the chief executive of Translink stating that there'd be 20 local town services would have their buses cancelled, stopped entirely," the Unite union's Davy McMurray told Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster.

He said the document also said schedules would be reduced on the rail line and Belfast's Metro service.

"Instead of a bus coming every 15 minutes or a train every 20, it'll be every half an hour or every quarter of an hour," he added.

"We reckon that from bus drivers, train drivers and engineering staff, you could be looking at 200 jobs going."

'Hardest hit'

On Wednesday, Mr Kennedy said transport was "most likely" to be hardest hit by the cuts.

"You simply cannot cut to the level of £60m and expect to maintain all frontline core services," he said.

"My department will be working and will continue to work with the service providers to explore ways of ensuring that we provide as much service in a cost efficient manner and to seek to minimise the impact on the end user."

In a statement, Translink said: "As a consequence of the reduction in government funding of 2015/16, Translink is considering measures that would need to be taken to adapt to these cuts and their associated impact.

"As part of this, we are currently reviewing how we can best design our network to work within our allocated resources while protecting the routes most important to our customers.

"No decisions have been taken at this stage over 2015/16 service efficiencies and we will engage with local stakeholders should any local service changes be proposed."