Northern Ireland

Physical and verbal attacks on Translink staff double in two years

A Metro bus in central Belfast, and left, a Glider bus window smashed on Falls Road in the west of the city
A Metro bus in central Belfast, and left, a Glider bus window smashed on Falls Road in the west of the city A Metro bus in central Belfast, and left, a Glider bus window smashed on Falls Road in the west of the city

PHYSICAL and verbal attacks on public transport staff in Northern Ireland have more than doubled in two years.

Translink recorded 744 incidents in six years including 506 verbal and 238 physical attacks, figures obtained by The Irish News show.

The number has increased from just 60 in 2014 to a high of 230 in 2019.

Buses and trains have also been targeted in almost 1,300 incidents of vandalism and criminal damage since 2015.

There were 173 incidents of vandalism and 1,121 occasions when objects were thrown at buses and trains.

Repairs to vandalism between 2015 and October 2019 cost more than £517,000.

Since the Glider bus service launched in Belfast in September 2018, its workers have endured 17 physical and 70 verbal attacks.

There were 224 incidents since 2014 against staff on Metro bus services, 74 on Ulsterbus and 359 on rail services.

The figures were obtained from Translink through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

Translink recorded 60 physical and verbal attacks on its staff in 2014, then 94 in 2015, 113 in 2016, 100 in 2017, 147 in 2018 and 230 in 2019.

Glider services in west Belfast's Colin area were withdrawn for a short period last month following attacks on vehicles by youths throwing missiles.

A west Belfast woman also told The Irish News how passengers were left in shock when a brick was thrown through a window in the disabled area of a Glider bus in a separate attack on the Falls Road.

Davy Thompson, Unite's regional coordinating officer for workers in Translink, described the figures as "very concerning".

He said the ramifications of such attacks and criminal damage on the transport network can be widespread.

"It's not so much the actual physical or verbal abuse that's hard to get over – it's the long-term mental issues. Fear of going back to work, fear of going into crowds," he said.

"People in Northern Ireland need to understand that these services won't be there if this continues on, because we can't keep being put at risk in that way."

Translink said safety is its "top priority" and it has a "zero-tolerance policy when it comes to anyone that physically or verbally abuses our staff".

It added that the number of anti-social behaviour (ASB) issues is low when compared to increasing passenger numbers overall and the volume of services operated.

The public transport firm said it has around 4,000 employees, 14,000 services daily and has approximately six million more passengers in the last four years.

"With this growth we are also seeing more ASB issues due to the volume however within this context, the number of incidents is exceptionally low," it said.

"Translink treat every incident seriously and condemn any assaults on its passengers or staff.

"Translink employ an Employee Support Officer who is an experienced and fully qualified psychotherapist/counsellor who provides a comprehensive counselling service to those employees who require it.

"In addition Translink has an Employee Assistance Programme, currently delivered by Inspire, to provide confidential counselling."

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Physical and verbal attacks on Translink staff since 2014:

Metro: 224

Ulsterbus: 74

Glider (introduced Sept 2018): 87

Rail: 359

Vandalism and criminal damage to Translink vehicles since 2015

Bus vandalism: 91

Objects thrown at buses: 968

Train vandalism: 82

Objects thrown at trains: 153