Drivers live in terror of assault on the buses

ALMOST two Lothian Buses drivers are assaulted every week according to "shocking" new figures released today.

Drivers have had to contend with being spat on, stabbed and attacked with metal poles in a catalogue of assaults.

And the number of passengers being assaulted every year has nearly trebled since 2002 – with 39 attacks last year alone.

Bus chiefs today condemned the attacks, while union chiefs today called for the help from the public in trying to root out those responsible.

The number of attacks on drivers has dropped slightly over the last five years, though there were still 91 assaults in 2007.

Ian Coupar, marketing director of Lothian Buses, said: "Attacks on any of our staff or passengers are completely unacceptable.

"Even one attack is one too many. We have to get the message across that this is intolerable."

The attacks come as the number of buses operated by the firm has increased, with a record 114 million passenger trips on Lothian Buses last year – an increase of nearly six million on 2006.

There is now CCTV on the majority of the firm's buses and swab samples are taken after any spitting attacks.

Tony Trench, Edinburgh regional officer for Unite union, said: "These figures are shocking and highlight the stress and dangers faced by our members.

"Our own survey work has shown that a lot of these attacks do take place in broad daylight and we are looking for the public to play their part in terms of helping us prosecute these people."

In May last year a male driver was stabbed at the wheel of his bus after challenging a group of youths. The 47-year-old warned the boys after they started hassling other passengers on the number three service on Westfield Road, Gorgie.

He was punched by one youth, and another pulled out a knife, reached into his cab, and stabbed the driver in the left thigh.

In March last year a bus driver needed hospital treatment after thugs dropped a metal pole 15 feet from a bridge in Duddingston Park South through his windscreen.

The driver, who was struck on the thigh, managed to bring the bus under control. No passengers were hurt,

but the driver was treated at the ERI for cuts and shock.

Lothians Conservative MSP Gavin Brown said:

"Any attack on a bus driver is unacceptable.

"I hope that much more is done to protect both drivers and passengers on buses in the city. Previously, a poster campaign has been used to tackle the problem of attacks on drivers but this appears to have made no impact on the number of attacks.

"The Scottish Government needs to come out and tell us what plans they have for tackling the number of incidents of violence on buses across the Capital."

'I'd rather be punched than spat on'

"I KNOW it may sound odd to some people but I think I would rather have just been punched than be spat in the face."

That is the verdict of Andrea Wilson, 34, who was spat on after challenging a man trying to buy a Daysaver ticket in Craigmillar without enough money.

"I was just disgusted, and the guy had a child with him as well.

"I think if you ask a lot of the drivers they can put up with the shouting and the swearing but there is something really degrading about being spat on," said Andrea, who now has been with Lothian Buses for ten years and was promoted to a back office role from driving.

Three weeks ago, fellow driver John Cuthbert stopped at Minto Street in Newington and challenged a man in his early 20s trying to buy a child's fare.

John, 56, explained: "I told him the fare was a £1 and he just turned and spat on me.

"It landed on my shoulder. It was really disgusting."

As John says, all the passengers we affected: "Everyone was held up as I had to radio in the incident and wait for the swab kit."