Union calls for zero tolerance after assault on bus driver

THE NATIONAL Bus and Rail Union (NBRU) has called for custodial sentences and heavy fines for assaults on bus drivers after a driver was attacked and his bus hijacked at the weekend.

The driver, a Chinese national who had been working for Dublin Bus for just 18 months, was left with broken bones in his hand and severe bruising following the attack on board a 56A bus at about 9.30pm on Saturday.

The bus, which runs from the Ringsend garage to Tallaght was travelling outbound on Cork Street when the assault took place.

NBRU official John McGrane said the driver was asked by two passengers, a man and a woman, to open the doors in between stops on Cork Street. When the driver refused the man became abusive and when the driver pulled in at the next stop, the man spat in his face, Mr McGrane said.

The driver told the man he was calling the Garda and moved to get up from his seat, but was “jumped on” by the female passenger, Mr McGrane said.

Both passengers dragged the driver from the bus and he was further assaulted on the path outside.

The male passenger then reboarded the bus and began to drive down Cork Street. It is understood that he was stopped by another passenger moments before gardaí arrived on the scene. A 32-year-old man was arrested and taken to Kevin Street Garda station where he was held for questioning.

Mr McGrane said he did not think the attack had been racially motivated as attacks on drivers on this bus route had increased.

“This route and the 77 in particular are prone to antisocial behaviour. Since Friday night the 77 has had to be curtailed . . . the Jobstown and Cheeverstown areas have been affected.”

The throwing of missiles at the windscreen of buses, as well as attacks by passengers, had become a common occurrence, Mr McGrane said.

“We’ve had about 30 incidents in the last two months where windows were smashed and drivers assaulted on buses from the Ringsend depot. In the last week we’ve had two serious incidents where drivers were assaulted.”

In one incident a can of larger was thrown from outside the bus shattering the windscreen, covering the driver with glass and almost causing a collision.

“Four drivers from the Ringsend depot are out injured at the moment because of assaults.”

Buses are fitted with closed-circuit cameras and additional gardaí have been assigned to some routes, but these measures were not deterring attacks, Mr McGrane said. “We need a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to attacks on drivers. The Minister for Justice and the Minister for Transport need to put some sort of policy in place. Too often these people are just dealt with by the Garda juvenile liaison officer and the cases don’t go through the courts. There needs to be heavy fines and custodial sentences.”

A spokeswoman for Dublin Bus said there had been an increase in antisocial behaviour, including stone throwing at buses, but not in attacks on drivers.

“We are very concerned about it, but attacks on driver are not increasing in general,” she said.