A petition is calling for the sacking of a bus driver in Northern Ireland after using a homophobic slur during Belfast Pride.
According to the petition a Translink Metro bus driver “told his supervisor he couldn’t get his bus through Belfast city centre during the 25th Gay Pride celebrations on Saturday because there were “too many bum-busters” on the road.”
The petition is urging David Strahan, Group Chief Executive, Translink NI and John Trethowan, the Chairman of the Board of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, to sack the bus driver.
According to a whistle blower on the Nolan Radio Show in Northern Ireland, the “Bum-Buster” slur was apparently overheard by passengers, other drivers, Translink bosses and other staff members twice as he repeated the message after controllers asked to confirm what he had said.
His message went across the entire Translink network via the radio.
Translink bosses are keen to stress that they take “incidents of this nature very seriously”, and that a ‘full investigation has been carried out and appropriate action is being taken”.
TheGayUK reached out to Translink and they offered a statement:
“We would like to apologise to our passengers and staff, following an incident on Saturday 1st August where a Metro driver used offensive language over Translink’s open radio network.
We take incidents of this nature very seriously and we expect all our staff to deal with their passengers and colleagues in a friendly, helpful and professional manner at all times.
A full investigation has been carried out and appropriate action is being taken”.
