Study reveals London bus crime

Thousands of people are attacked and threatened on London's buses every year, a disturbing new survey of crime levels on the network has shown.

Statistics reveal that nearly 7,000 crimes were reported on the buses last year - ranging from graffiti and stonethrowing to stabbings and other serious violence.

Around a quarter of the incidents are believed to involve assaults or threats of violence, while the overall figures are probably even higher - given that passengers and staff fail to report many crimes.

The statistics - revealed in a Parliamentary answer to Romford Tory MP Andrew Rosindell - are believed to be the first time a London-wide snapshot of bus crime has been taken.

While they are not thought to show any significant increase on previous years, they reveal the extent of the challenge facing Mayor Ken Livingstone to get more Londoners out of their cars and onto buses.

Research has shown that personal safety concerns deter many people, particularly women, from using buses, especially at night.

Richard Barnes, Tory crime spokesman on the Greater London Assembly, said: "This shows that both the travelling public and bus staff are at risk.

"If you want more people on buses, safety will have to be massively improved. We have already asked the Mayor twice about putting CCTV on all the worst-affected routes, and so far we have heard nothing."

Pete Kavanagh, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, which represents around 17,000 London bus employees, said: "After police officers and security guards, bus drivers are the most assault-prone workers. It ranges from a mouthful of saliva in the face and verbal abuse through to knives being pulled and far worse.

"Processing criminal injuries claims is one of the busiest areas in the T&G's bus section work. Unfortunately, over the years we have also had to establish a fatal assault fund, although luckily we haven't had to dip into it very often."

Mr Livingstone, whose plans to improve the bus network are a key "sweetener" to his congestion charge, acknowledged the importance of the safety issue last month when he announced plans for a 250-strong squad of dedicated "bus police". One of their briefs will be to ride routinely on buses and respond to crimes quickly. His office said CCTV was also gradually being introduced.

However, while bus use is now finally on the increase after years of post-war decline, critics believe Mr Livingstone faces a tough task in changing its perception as public transport of last resort.

Serious crime incidents have included crack- dealing on Routemaster buses earlier this year, and the fatal stabbing two years ago of Herbie Williams, 56, for remonstrating with a disorderly fellow passenger.

The Met last year launched Operation Seneca, a major crackdown on bus crime. Many of those stopped for minor violations, such as travelling without tickets, turned out to be carrying drugs, weapons, or to be wanted for more serious crimes.