(02-22-2004) Report Claims Warning On Dublin Bus Stop - Sky News.com *

[Regina O'Numb]

Report Claims Warning On Dublin Bus Stop.

Sunday February 22, 12:48 PM.

A transport company had reportedly been warned of the dangers of a Dublin bus stop where five people were killed.The Sunday Independent newspaper in Dublin says a senior manager at the state-backed CIE transport company was warned two weeks ago that the bus terminus in question was unsafe.Three women and two men died when a double-decker bus apparently went out of control and mounted a pavement, ploughing into a queue of waiting passengers on Saturday.

Almost 20 others were injured in the incident, some seriously.

Twelve of the injured were said to be in a stable condition in hospital.


It happened close to the Clarence Hotel, owned by the U2 rock group, on Dublin's crowded Wellington Quay.

The two buses involved in the crash have been taken to Dublin's Irish police headquarters for a technical examination.

The newspaper said sources had claimed the location was a difficult area for drivers to queue buses.

Irish Premier Bertie Ahern and Transport Minister Seamus Brennan both pledged full inquiries after visiting the scene of the crash.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/040222/140/emmlx.html

 

[Regina O'Numb]

Concerns raised two weeks ago about site of bus crash -
21:20 - Concerns were raised earlier this month about the safety of the bus stop on Dublin's Wellington Quay where five people were killed yesterday, it has emerged. Members of Leixlip Town Council complained to Dublin Bus that the stop for route 66 to Maynooth was unsafe.


http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2004/0222/index.htm#95338

 

[Party Boy]

Live in London but originally from Leixlip and this is the bus stop I have used in the past... very sad..

 

[Regina O'Numb]

- "CI? to publish bus accident probe findings

February 23, 2004

(18:26) The chairman of CI? has said the company intends to publish the findings of its inquiry into Saturday's accident, in which five people were killed on Wellington Quay, in six weeks' time.

John Lynch said an inquiry team had been formed and would meet on Friday.

He said the two drivers involved in the accident were receiving counselling but were not expected to be back driving in the short term.

He said the company knew what had happened but did not know why it had happened.

Meanwhile, Dublin Bus has opened a Book of Condolence at its headquarters on O'Connell Street in Dublin. The Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, and the Minister for Transport, Seamus Brennan, were among the first to sign the book.

Speaking earlier on RT?'s Morning Ireland, Dublin Bus Spokeswoman, Gr?inne Mackin, said the number 66 bus was five feet from the kerb picking up passengers when the second bus ploughed into them.

She also said the accident was not caused by a medical problem with either of the drivers. Ms Mackin said the inquiry - which will involve international experts - would look at every possible cause.

Victims named

Earlier, the five people killed were named as Kevin Gary, 43, from Leixlip, Vasul Tyminsky, 33, a Ukrainian living in Lucan, 59-year-old Margaret Traynor from Darndale, Kathleen Gilton, 69, from Maynooth, and 43-year-old Theresa Keatly from Ballymun.

Post mortem examinations have now been carried out on the victims' bodies.

Dublin Bus has organised a team of counsellors to help the families of the bereaved as well as staff members and eyewitnesses.

Dublin Bus has denied that the bus stop on Wellington Quay was unsafe. It was moved from Middle Abbey Street 18 months ago because of Luas works.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0223/dublinbus.html

 

[Regina O'Numb]

"Gardai hope security videos will give clues to bus crash.
Tim O'Brien.


Dublin Bus and the Garda are hoping video footage from security cameras on business premises, including the Clarence Hotel, may provide vital clues to the cause of last Saturday's fatal bus accident at Wellington Quay.

The search for video footage came as Dublin Bus yesterday announced the establishment of an inquiry into the tragedy in which five people were killed.

The inquiry, which will be chaired by Mr Arnold O'Byrne, chairman of the Dublin Bus audit review group, will report in six weeks' time. It will meet for the first time on Friday.

The committee will seek to establish the cause of the accident and any contributory factors and make recommendations to prevent a similar tragedy.

The crash is to be raised in the D?il today, with the Labour Party seeking to table a special notice question on the issue.

The bodies of the five people killed in the accident are to be released to their families today.

The accident happened after an out-of-service bus, which was leaving Wellington Quay for Lucan, passed a stationary Maynooth bound bus on the inside, mounting a kerb and colliding with a group of passengers queuing to board the Maynooth bus.

Eight of the injured were still in hospital last night. Garda? and Dublin Bus investigators are waiting to interview the drivers of both vehicles. They received trauma counselling yesterday and were said to be having difficulty recollecting clearly what had happened.

While there were eye-witness accounts of the accident, garda? confirmed that they were hoping security camera footage might provide vital details of what happened in the seconds leading up to the collision.

Garda? plan to study footage from the Clarence Hotel and other businesses. Dublin City Council said its cameras were not trained on that part of the quay at the time.

The board of Dublin Bus held an emergency meeting at its O'Connell Street headquarters yesterday, and the company opened a special book of condolences. It was signed by the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, and the Minister for Transport, Mr Brennan.

Mr Ahern said he met the chairman of CI?, Dr John Lynch, and some of the families and friends of the deceased and injured.

Responding to questions as to the cause of the accident, Mr Brennan said it was unlikely to be clear cut. It was always tempting to look for a simple solution "and I don't believe there is one here", he said. Both buses involved in the accident have been impounded by the garda? for examination. Dublin Bus said it did not expect the vehicles to be found to be defective. Dr Lynch said last night that the drivers were "not in a position to talk yet".

He added that both drivers were qualified and experienced and the driver of the out-of-service bus had more than 20 years' service. This driver had also been successful at an examination as an advanced driver, Dr Lynch said.

? The Irish Times

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2004/0224/1642997589HM1BUS1.html

 

[oktobergirl]

I know where that is, on the liffey street, where all the buses line up and tons of people wait for the right one.

 

[Justified]

 

[Regina O'Numb]

"Garda? interviews bus crash drivers.

February 25, 2004.

(16:38) Dublin Bus has said the two bus drivers involved in Saturday's accident in the city centre are being interviewed by garda?.

Spokeswoman Gr?inne Mackin said the decision was taken following medical advice.

Five people were killed in the incident on Wellington Quay.

A memorial mass for the Ukrainian victim, 33-year-old Vasyl Timinskyy, was held in Lucan this morning.

His body will be flown to the Ukraine for burial."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0225/dublin.html

 

[Tech]

Very sad to hear about this.

 

[Regina O'Numb]

"Reconstruction of Dublin bus crash

February 28, 2004

(11:22) Garda? will tomorrow reconstruct the events of last Saturday's bus crash on Dublin's Wellington Quay in which five people were killed.

Today all vehicles in the Dublin Bus fleet are displaying black ribbons as a mark of respect to the victims.

The reconstruction will take place from 6am and the area will be closed to traffic for a number of hours.

Superintendent Tom Conway, who is leading the investigation, said it is hoped more information can be gained about the specifics of the accident.

In a separate development today, a funeral mass is being held in Maynooth for one of the victims, 69-year-old Kathleen Gilton."

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0228/dublin.html

 

[Regina O'Numb]

"Quay reopens after bus crash reconstruction

February 29, 2004

(11:53) Wellington Quay in Dublin's city centre has reopened following a reconstruction by garda? of last weekend's fatal bus accident in which five people were killed.

A number of buses identical to those involved in the accident were made available for this morning's exercise.

The main purpose was to obtain more information on the technical aspects of the crash.

The scene was sealed off as investigators tried to establish how fast the out of service bus was travelling when it mounted the pavement and collided with the stationary number 66 bus bound for Maynooth.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2004/0229/dublin02.html