More than 100 drivers for Cardiff Bus have been physically assaulted in the last five years and £58,700 was spent on repairing damage form vandalism last year, according to new data.
The council-owned company not only forks out thousands of pounds to repair damage from vandals, but has also issued bus drivers with 'spit kits' to capture those who spit on them by using their DNA.
The data, released following a freedom of information request from South Wales Central Assembly member Leanne Wood, also showed there had been 81 reported incidents of spitting at drivers and 103 verbal assaults in the last five years. Money spent on repairing damage from vandalism had also risen sharply from 2007-2009 – from £38,500 to £58,700.
South Wales Police launched an operation to catch stone-throwers in Ely, and buses had been equipped with CCTV cameras in the last five years.
A police operation, in which a bendy bus carrying six plain clothed officers plus dog handlers was made to appear like a normal service, ended up with two arrests and 17 referrals for anti-social behaviour orders after it was bombarded with stones.
In August, four people were prosecuted at Cardiff magistrates' court for terrorising a driver and his passengers during one trip also in Ely.
Commenting on the released figures, Leanne Wood said:
"I am concerned that so much money is spent annually on repairing vandalism.
"From the statistics, it looks as though buses are generally becoming safer places for drivers and passengers but too many incidents are still being recorded.
"Bus services are vital community assets and, for the older or isolated people in particular, they are lifelines to the world outside their front door.
"Vandals and those who attack drivers need to think carefully of their actions before acting because the consequences of their actions on the rest of society can be far-reaching."
A Cardiff Bus spokesperson said:
"The safety of our drivers and passengers is of the utmost importance.
"We work closely with the police to make every effort to safeguard the bus service for the community."
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