20 April 2024 , 20:16
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Bus drivers facing rising abuse say bosses are not helping them. As many as eight out of 10 have been verbally abused – with one in six suffering a physical attack. Three-quarters surveyed by union Unite accused bus operators of not taking complaints seriously.
One Arriva employee in Wales said: “I was assaulted in my cab after questioning a person about a fare. “After this I received abuse. I was spat at and had a vape thrown at me. “This was reported to the police but Arriva was not interested.”
A Stagecoach driver in Yorkshire added: “I was assaulted and it was classed as a ‘low event’ as it only lasted one-and-a-half minutes. Days later, I was robbed and it was deemed an otherwise uneventful journey, even though I was taunted and shouted at.” And a National Express employee in the West Midlands said: “When an incident is reported we are told there is nothing they can do.”
Bus driver Keith Rollinson died after being attacked at Elgin bus station. (PA)Just over half of the 1,700 drivers polled in December do not feel safe at work – with 79% saying abuse had increased over the previous 12 months. A Unite spokesman said: “Our members are suffering abuse on a regular basis, primarily from passengers.
“This is completely unacceptable and the bus companies’ failure to act will no longer be tolerated.” The findings come after bus driver Keith Rollinson, 58, died in February following an attack in Elgin, Moray.
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Graham Vidler, chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: “Members take driver safety and welfare seriously. Where drivers experience antisocial behaviour, operators act decisively to ensure the wellbeing of staff.” A Government spokesman said: “Bus drivers should be able to carry out their work safely and with respect.”