Translink: Most bus routes to return to normal after hijackings

Four masked men hijacked a bus in Newtownabbey on Sunday night and set it alight

Most Metro bus services will return to normal on Wednesday evening, Translink has said.

Some localised diversions remain.

Director of service operations, Ian Campbell, said Translink would "monitor services over the coming days and have steps in place to respond to any arising situations".

It follows the hijacking and setting alight of a bus in Newtownabbey on Sunday night, amid rising tensions over the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The post-Brexit arrangement is opposed by unionist political parties and loyalist groups, who believe it undermines Northern Ireland's position within the UK.

Mr Campbell said that Translink had reached the decision about the "safe return of evening services" after close work with trade unions, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and local communities.

"We understand many people rely on us to get them to where they need to be and appreciate their frustrations," he said.

"It has been important to work quickly to find suitable solutions to this difficult situation that ensured the safety of everyone and I am sure this will be welcome news for passengers to have their services back.

"We will continue to make safety our priority."

Last Monday a bus was hijacked and burned in Newtownards in an apparent protest against the Northern Ireland Protocol

He thanked people for their patience and added that updates would be posted on the Translink website.

On Sunday night, four masked men armed with a hammer and bottle of petrol boarded a bus in Rathcoole and ordered the driver and passengers to get off before they set it on fire.

It was the second attack of its kind in Northern Ireland within a week.

BBC News NI understands the burning of buses in recent months has cost £800,000.

Some Translink staff members staged a walk-out on Monday afternoon and gathered outside Belfast City Hall in solidarity with the drivers whose buses were targeted.