Bus lanes to open to all traffic as workers embark on strike

Bus lanes are to be open to all traffic tomorrow in an attempt to reduce congestion caused by strike action by Translink staff, Transport Minister Shaun Woodward has announced.

All bus and rail services are to be severely disrupted as Translink staff take part in the official one-day industrial action in protest of the proposed changes to the pension schemes of public sector employees.

It is understood that the dispute relates to the government's plans to change the age of which people can retire, from 60 to 65. Union members have claimed that if the government ignore their appeal, further action will be taken.

Around 1.5 million public sector workers right across the UK are expected to take part in the strike tomorrow. Unions expected to participate include NIPSA, SIPTU, Unison, ATGWU, TSSA, TGWU and Amicus.

Speaking earlier today, the Transport Minister encouraged the Northern Ireland public to consider different ways of cutting the inevitable traffic congestion and reducing it to manageable levels.

Mr Woodward said: "It is clear that a significant number of workers and school children, not to mention other passengers will be seriously inconvenienced by Tuesday's strike action. I hope that Translink staff can return to work as soon as possible to minimise disruption to people's everyday lives."

He said that agreement had been reached with the PSNI that, for one day only, bus lanes could be used by all vehicles.

The Minister urged people driving to work to consider car sharing as an option and he also suggested that parents of children who require transport to and from school could reach an arrangement with other parents to share the task as a further way of reducing traffic.

Mr Woodward concluded: "I would also encourage pupils who live close to their schools to consider walking on Tuesday, where practical and I would urge motorists to be as patient as possible if they are caught up in delays.''

Councils around the province have warned that normal services will be widely disrupted during tomorrow's strike.

Belfast City Council Director of Corporate Service Trevor Salmon said that it was difficult to know in advance what the full effects of the strike on services would be, but that arrangements were being made to ensure cover for essential services.

He said that bins collected on a weekly basis would be lifted on the next collection day, which is 4 April, while arrangements are being made to collect those normally lifted on a fortnightly cycle to be lifted on Saturday. He said it looked unlikely that there would be collection of commercial waste or bulky waste collections.

In Belfast, cremations should proceed as normal, but funeral directors have been advised that there is unlikely to be any burials on the day of the strike. No new bookings have been taken for weddings since we learned of the planned strike but any arranged before that will go ahead. All events and meetings to be held at the Waterfront and Ulster Hall are expected to go ahead.

(EF/SP)