Translink buses to travel to hospital in convoy

Up to 40 Translink buses are to take part in the convoy at 8pm this Thursday night, to coincide with the weekly ‘clap for our carers’.

The event has been organised by local Translink inspector Alex Crawford.

“Our colleagues in Newry did something similar in the grounds of Daisy Hill Hospital last week and we decided we would like to do something similar,’ Mr. Crawford said. “Some of the drivers’ children have painted rainbows and other pictures and we will be decorating the buses with these before we set out around the grounds of both hospitals.”

He said the bus drivers and Translink staff wanted to show appreciation for and solidarity with health care workers.

The company has been providing free travel to health and social care workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The hospital is over the moon with what we are planning. Hopefully nurses, doctors, support staff and patients will be able to come to a window to see what we are doing.

“If not, they will certainly be able to hear us! In fact I’m not sure the Waterside will be able to hear the Ebrington Factory horn with the amount of noise we will be making!”

Mr. Crawford revealed that local drivers were so keen to get involved in the convoy they now have more volunteers than buses available.

“That is how good the guys here are. We put out a notification last Friday asking for volunteers and we were inundated.”

The inspector advised members of the public to keep an eye on Translink’s social media pages this Thursday night as ‘we have a few things up our sleeve’.