Translink

Translink is the brand name of integrated public transport in Northern Ireland. The statutory body 'Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company' (NITHC) is responsible for the operation of Translink and is funded by the Department of the Environment. When the rail system in Great Britain was privatised in the early 1990s, there was a complete overhaul of the legislation, and a critical change was to bring rail operations within the ambit of Health & Safety legislation. This didn't happen in Northern Ireland, which explains why the crumbling track that forces the Belfast to Derry train to travel at 30mph has not been replaced. There isn't an ombudsman to direct complaints towards; Translink deal with complaints themselves alone. They have no competition, thus they can get away with whatever they want. Recently, they have decided to do away with return fares, forcing travellers to pay up to 25% more than usual by purchasing two single fares. And they've decided to get rid of a load of bus routes in Belfast too. This is a direct result of the the tribal politics we suffer/enjoy here.

Why should this concern me, considering I own a car? Well, sometimes it is more economical to use public transport, especially when unemployeds can use a 'Permit for Reduced Fare Rail/Bus Travel for Unemployed Person', which entitles the holder to half price travel.

But magine the dismay of unemployeds across the provence when Translink smugly informed that they are ineligible for half price fares unles they could prove they were travelling to an interview.

Which is why I came up with this:

Simply change the interview location and date to direction and date of travel.

See it as a way of sticking it to the man, albeit in a petty and futile way.

Is it any wonder their buses are this empty?