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| Ulsterbus - One of the last Publicly Owned Bus Companies in the UK |
The last few months I have been fortunate enough to been working with Unite the Union on a variety of issues of concern to working people. One such issue has been the threat to break up and privatise Northern Ireland's public transport system.
A report summarising the findings of an Inquiry held by the DRD Ministerial Scrutiny Committee into Public Transport in Northern Ireland was recently leaked to a variety of sources including the BBC and identified plans to break up and privatise bus services across Northern Ireland, beginning with the planned Belfast Rapid Transit service.
Such a move has been promoted by a number of privateer bus operators who are keen to profit from opening up lucrative routes in Northern Ireland. This proposal would represent the first major privatisation of the new political arrangements in the north. In addition to these privateers who are pushing for the move, what was of greatest concern was the fact that the proposal was backed by political representatives from all main parties in the Assembly: DUP, Sinn Fein, UUP, SDLP and Alliance.
