Labour's coalition partners: "Arrest the strikers"

According to Fine Gael Transport Spokesperson on Newstalk 106 just now, the Gardaí should have arrested the taxi drivers who lined O'Connell Street yesterday to draw attention to their grievances.

I was one of those inconvenienced by the taxi protest yesterday, and I certainly agree that it wasn't the best tactic if they wanted to gain the public's sympathy (although I'm not sure that they did) - but, come on. By "inconvenienced" I mean it added about 15-20 minutes onto my travel time. Hardly something worth arresting people over.

But of course, this is the same Fine Gael Transport Spokesperson who, a few years ago, said that the bus drivers taking part in the "no fares day" protest should have the fares deducted from their wages.

Labour people - for God's sake, what are you thinking???

A perfect example of border idiocy

Have you ever tried to book a ticket online for the bus from Dublin to Belfast? You can't do it. This is because, as a Bus Éireann person explained to me, their system and Ulsterbus's system are not compatible.

You can book a Eurolines ticket online for anywhere in Britain. You can book a Eurolines ticket online for Poland, even. But you cannot book a Bus Éireann/Ulsterbus ticket online for Belfast... or Newry, or Derry. Want to go to Enniskillen? The bus to Donegal Town stops there. But you'll have to book your seat all the way through.

Somebody needs to sort this stupidity out. It's 2006 for heaven's sake.

While I have serious doubts about the Government's ability to deliver on its transport plan, in theory, at least, it's a great idea. Public transport in this State is absolutely shocking and needs precisely this kind of initiative. Those who dismiss the need for a northside Metro obviously don't spend the amount of time I do sitting on buses that aren't going anywhere. Of course, it will probably be 2020 rather than 2012 by the time it's finally delivered, and at three times the cost, but it needs to be gone ahead with and sooner rather than (any) later.

I must add, though, that I was greatly amused when I went to the Department of Transport's web site looking for further details of this plan - and discovered that the site hasn't been updated since July. We may be getting a "21st century transport plan for 21st century Ireland", as their press release announces, but we're still very much stuck with 20th century communications.