04 January 2008

Dear Colleagues,

Winter certainly arrived last night!
 
While most bus services in Belfast and south of the city had difficulty running this morning, other bus services operated, albeit with delays.  Services in and around Belfast are gradually getting up and running.   
 
All rail lines were open from first thing this morning and services operated – the only delays were due to staff having difficulty getting to work.
 
It is good to report that all the ‘hardware’ worked.  Investment in equipment such as points heaters and indeed new bus and rail fleet has been very effective, along with the efforts made in ‘winter preparation’ programmes.
 
However, investment and hardware cannot take the place of the hard work, late nights and early mornings put in by many of you today and yesterday.  
 
Credit is due to all of you who put in the effort to keep services running – staff from bus and rail operations, engineering, infrastructure, call centre and press office all deserve mention for their commitment.  On behalf of all our passengers – thank you.
 
The forecast for the afternoon is for more snow before a thaw this evening, so we may have more difficulties through the day.

Philip O'Neill,

Acting Chief Executive

Hard work, late nights and early mornings put in by many of you today and yesterday