Bus driver hospitalised after cowardly thugs attack

as posted here

Nicole Cox, Nick Taylor and Glenn Cordingley
August 01, 2009 05:00pm

ANGRY bus drivers said ``enough is enough'' and voted to take immediate industrial action after a spate of violent attacks.

Driver Gerard Sin may lose an eye after a vicious assault on Friday night. He was punched and pelted with a chunk of concrete after refusing to allow three men to board.

He saw his attacker ``eye to eye'' before he lost consciousness.

Drivers have now refused to travel on a route where serious violent incidents have occurred. A mass stopwork meeting will be held this week.

Transport Workers Union delegates ordered all drivers to refuse to travel on a route where serious violent incidents have occurred and urged members not to drive buses that do not have security screens.

A mass stop-work meeting will be held on Wednesday or Thursday to demand driver safety screens on every bus, more mobile security patrols, on-the-spot fines, banning lawbreakers from public transport and tougher powers for guards.

The industrial action came as doctors yesterday fought to save a bus driver's eye after he was left with shocking facial injuries during a vicious assault in Armadale on Friday night.

The 59-year-old Thornlie man, Gerard Sin, was punched, kicked and pelted with a chunk of concrete after he refused to allow a group of men to board the bus at 6.40pm.

Police say the attack -- the latest in a spate against bus drivers -- is one of the most violent and brazen in recent times.

Mr Sin, an employee of Swan Transit, was driving on the No.250 route when he was hailed down by a group of up to eight men.

It is believed the men wanted to board the bus at the intersection of Church Ave and Sixth Rd, but it is not a designated bus stop.

``He's opened the doors, there's been a verbal altercation. He's closed the doors, but they've been forced open again by one of the males who's got on the bus and kicked him,'' said Det-Sen-Constable Rob Jamieson.

One of the men attacked the driver, hitting him with a large chunk of concrete before he was kicked in the left side of his torso.

He was then dragged away, but returned with the block of concrete, which he threw at Mr Sin, smashing him in the left side of the face.

``There's been a continual verbal altercation while he's assaulted the bus driver,'' Det-Sen-Con Jamieson said.

``There was no apparent motivation for the attack. It's just a vicious, cowardly attack.''

Police said that as the assault took place, other members of the group catapulted another piece of concrete through the windscreen of the bus before fleeing.

Mr Sin was taken to Armadale Hospital and transferred to Fremantle Hospital where he underwent surgery to his face and eye yesterday.

Transport Workers Union bus industry organiser Kevin Starr said officials would call a mass stop-work meeting this week to discuss the safety concerns. ``We have to stop this,'' Mr Starr said.

``Drivers have simply had enough, had enough.

``We are bus drivers. Why the hell does anyone want to bash a bus driver? Because we are an easy target.

``Until such time as we have a mass meeting of all members, we are going to ban driving after dark without a cage bus.

``If there are any incidents that happen over the next few days as we will quite simply ban the routes.

Mr Starr apologised for any inconvenience to passengers, but said: ``My responsibility is to the drivers.''

Public Transport Authority chief executive Reece Waldock said the PTA would consider banning or restricting some routes during problem times.

``It may be a short-term response, but I am not sure that it meets the needs of those communities that most need the services,'' Mr Waldock said.

He said the cost of putting security guards on every bus, combined with the logistics would prove difficult and was not being considered. Mr Waldock said about 30 per cent of Transperth buses had security cabs protecting drivers.

Police are asking for the public's help to identify the culprits. The group are described as being dark skinned, with the main offender is described as being aged between 19 and 22.

He was clean shaven, wearing a dark zip-up hoodie jumper, light coloured jeans and light coloured shoes.

Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.



as posted here