THERE were calls today to tackle violence on Edinburgh's buses as a "matter of urgency" as new figures showed almost one attack a week on passengers.
The number of passenger assaults on services operated by Lothian Buses has risen 28 per cent in a year, although the number of attacks on drivers is continuing to fall.
Figures released under Freedom of Information laws showed there was a total of
122 assaults in 2008, 50 of which were on passengers.
The figures were today described as "utterly unacceptable", and came just a week after the Evening News reported the story of bus driver Kevin Smith, who had his face slashed during a robbery on a Munro's of Jedburgh service in Musselburgh.
Overall, the number of attacks on staff and passengers fell in 2008 from a high of 130 recorded incidents in 2007. Of the overall total, 72 of the assaults were on members of staff, a fall of 20 per cent on the previous 12 months.
Lothians Tory MSP Gavin Brown, who obtained the figures, said more had to be done to tackle violence on the city's buses.
He said: "While the slight drop in attacks is of course welcome, there are still more than two people being assaulted every week on a Lothian bus and that needs to be tackled as a matter of urgency.
"First and foremost, the safety of drivers and passengers is of paramount importance, with any attack on a bus driver or passenger being utterly unacceptable.
"I hope that more action is being taken to protect both drivers and passengers on buses."
Last year union leaders called for help from the public in rooting out those responsible for a catalogue of attacks, including drivers being stabbed and attacked with metal poles.
There is now CCTV on the majority of Lothian Buses' vehicles and swab samples are taken after any spitting attacks.
A spokeswoman for the council-owned bus company said: "We have over 1,700 frontline staff and carried in excess of 110 million passengers last year.
"The number of attacks is relatively small compared to the number of passengers and drivers, confirming that our buses are a safe way to travel.
"The company supports all action to reduce assaults and works with Lothian and Borders Police to improve safety on our buses."
One of the most shocking incidents of violence on the city's bus network took place in 2007 when a male driver was stabbed after challenging a group of youths in Gorgie. The 47-year-old was attacked after telling the boys to stop hassling other passengers.
• www.lothianbuses.com 