Union says bus stoning must stop

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/8509997.stm

Version 0 of 1.

A union has warned that bus drivers will withdraw their services from areas where vehicles are repeatedly being attacked with stones.

A number of children sustained cuts after a bus was stoned in north Belfast at 1530 GMT on Wednesday.

Two windows were smashed after youths blocked the road before throwing missiles on the Oldpark Road.

Michael Dornan from Unite called the perpetrators "mindless thugs" who were endangering lives.

He said that bus drivers were repeatedly having to "run the gauntlet day in and day out just to do their jobs".

He added: "We have stated now through our company that if attacks in various areas persist, we will withdraw the services.

"We are not going to put our lives and the lives of the passengers on these buses in danger."

Translink has also issued a statement condemning the attack.

"The safety of all our passengers and staff is a top priority - we strongly condemn all anti-social behaviour and work hard with the local community and schools to combat this problem," a Translink spokesperson said.

"We are assisting the PSNI with their investigation."

The police have appealed for anyone with information to get in touch.