Late-night bus services may be axed after attack on driver

A bus company is considering axing late night services after one of its drivers was bashed unconscious and seriously injured by a group of unruly youths at the weekend.

The Leopard Coachlines driver, aged in his 50s, was still in hospital this morning with severe bruising and suspected spinal injuries from the attack in Christchurch shortly after midnight on Saturday.

About 15 young people aged between 12 and 15 took to the driver of an Orbiter bus after they refused to leave it when it finished its run at Eastgate Mall and were taken on to the bus depot a short distance away.

Led by several young girls in the group, the youths attacked both the driver of their bus and another driver who came to his aid.

Leopard managing director Brent Early said the second driver, who was hospitalised, was attacked before he even got out of his bus.

St John Ambulance paramedics waited briefly in their ambulance until the unruly youths dispersed before treating both drivers. One was treated at Christchurch Hospital and discharged.

Mr Early said today he planned to discuss driver security with the regional council, Labour Department and union representatives "to see if there is anything more that can be done within the industry as a whole".

"Perhaps we have to look at some of these late night services... whether we even run them," he said.

"There will be all sorts of things put on the table for discussion."

Mr Early said another option would be to look at providing physical protection for bus drivers, such as cages or perspex shields used by some late shift taxi drivers.

Commuter train passengers had no access to the driver, he pointed out.

"It would be unfortunate if we had to go down that path, but maybe we have to."

Mr Early said he understood the problem on Saturday night might have begun after police broke up a big party in Christchurch earlier in the evening and dispersed a large number of youths.

"We heard from one of the other (bus) companies that believe they had part of the same group on board," he said.

"It's unfortunate, perhaps, that parents weren't called and asked to pick them up. It might have been a more sensible solution than dispersing them into the community."

The Labour Department is also investigating the incident.

The department's Canterbury/West Coast service manager, workplace health and safety, Margaret Radford, said the focus would be on the health and safety of drivers.

Inspectors would look at security measures the company had in place and if there was anything more practical that could be done.

Police are investigating, but were unavailable for comment this morning.

- NZPA