Sir, – I note that Minister for Transport Eamonn Ryan has ruled out the establishment of a dedicated transport police unit, but welcomed the decision by Dublin Bus to deploy security guards across its services. I was emboldened to learn that Fianna Fáil are still keen to see a dedicated transport police unit established (“Pilot Dublin Bus security scheme to tackle antisocial behaviour”, News, October 7th).
A pilot project involving private security guards in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour across the Dublin bus service has now been launched. The 20-week programme, which recently began, is called Safer Journeys, and this involves the incorporation of a visible and approachable security presence on the bus network. The aim of such a presence is to target rising levels of disruptive behaviour on public transport. I would like to see a dedicated police transport unit, as opposed to private security guards, right across the public transport network in Dublin and beyond Dublin as well.
I believe that such a police unit would actually make the Garda Síochána more visible and would connect them more to the travelling public. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
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Tipperary.