The Transport Workers’ Union of NSW confirms that bus services run by Busways in the Mount Druitt area will now run as usual tomorrow: as the company agrees to place security guards on Busways services in the Mount Druitt precinct, starting tonight.

“We are pleased to say that our members’ concerns for their own safety and that of the travelling public have been heard: and both Busways and Westbus services in the Mount Druitt area will have security guards travelling on board, starting tonight,” TWU State Secretary Wayne Forno said.
 
The reinstatement of services in the area is contingent on safety concerns continuing to be addressed.
 
In the last fortnight there has been a machete attack, a knife attack, two robberies and an attack where several bottles were thrown at a bus which forced the driver to career off the road and crash into a bus stop: all in the Mount Druitt area.
 
Following meetings with the company today, the TWU has called for:
 
·         the establishment of the use of security guards on routes servicing the Mount Druitt area as of tonight;
 
·         wire mesh screens that are used in other states, for bus driver safety, be fitted on buses travelling select routes such as the Mount Druitt area; and
 
·         training for bus drivers in dealing with conflict as they are rightfully entitled to and is set out as a provision in the bus operators’ contracts with the government.
 
The bus companies have not yet committed to the training.
 
There will be a meeting on 24 March to address safety issues in the long term between the TWU, Ministry of Transport and the bus companies.