Petrol bomb attack on bus slammed as ‘extremely serious and reckless’ by Derry councillor

Sinn Féin Councillor Pat Murphy expressed concern that services could be withdrawn after a week in which buses were attacked on a number of occasions.

This culminated, he said, in a petrol bomb being thrown at a bus travelling in the Fergleen area.

He commented: "There have been a number of stone attacks on buses servicing Galliagh in the past week, and in the latest incident, a petrol bomb was thrown.

“That was an extremely serious and reckless attack which endangered the bus passengers and driver who were lucky to escape injury.

“The people involved in these actions need not only to consider the potential harm they could cause but also the disruption to their own community which any withdrawal of services will entail.”

Colr. Murphy noted that the Galliagh area and the wider northern suburbs generally are dependent on vital bus services provided by Translink.

“Galliagh has many residents that depend on affordable public transport to get to and from the city centre and the removal of this service would cause untold hardship if Translink feels it has no other option in order to protect their employees and passengers.

"I would also call on the local community to support Translink in helping to deliver a safe affordable service to the area by using any influence with the young people involved to desist immediately,” he stated.

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