150,000 COMMUTERS HIT BY STRIKE CHAOS; Bus drivers 'intimidated' by protesters on way to work.

Byline: PAT FLANAGAN 

A GROUP of protesting bus drivers brought chaos to Dublin yesterday leaving up to 150,000 commuters stranded for a third day running.

Strikes spread across the city amid claims of widespread intimidation against drivers trying to get their buses out on the roads.

Some buses were stoned as they left depots and one woman driver was allegedly intimidated on her way to work.

One worker at the Broadstone garage said he was verbally abused when he tried to go to work.

He added: "They were shouting 'scumbag'. It wasn't particularly nice. I was intimidated.

"I had to explain to passengers on the bus what the delay was, what actually happened.

"They couldn't believe protesters would actually stone the bus that was coming out of the garage.

"I don't know what I'm going to do because this could escalate into further intimidation, they could actually damage my car."

A spokeswoman for the firm said that while there were no pickets, there was a presence which was "making itself felt outside our other depots".

She added: "We have had incidents already this morning where drivers who want to work and have gone in to work to take out their buses have been intimidated.

"We've also had a female driver who felt she was so intimidated she had to return back to her garage manager. We really appeal to drivers to return to work."

A small militant group belonging to the Bus Workers' Action Group are believed to be behind the stoppage.

It is believed workers based at the Harristown garage have refused to accept a new schedule by the Labour Court.

The row initially centred on the Harristown depot after one driver was suspended for allegedly refusing to work the new staff rota.

But the dispute quickly spread to Clontarf, where drivers walked out in support, and buses from Conynham Road and Summerhill depots were also affected.

During the morning rush hour, commuter routes across Dublin were crippled by the action over timetable changes.

By midday yesterday the service on most routes in the capital were restored except those operating out of the Harristown depot.

Yesterday afternoon the unofficial strike was called off and services are expected to be back to normal today. After talks between the strikers, management and trade unions the drivers agreed to end their dispute.