Redbridge’s London Assembly member has called for sting operations and increased police patrols on buses after figures revealed drivers face “alarming” physical and verbal abuse.
Roger Evans obtained statistics showing about four bus drivers a day are attacked across London.
He called for the Metropolitan Police to step up undercover operations to crack down on mistreatment.
The Conservative said: “The number of bus drivers facing physical attack or verbal abuse on London’s bus network is alarming.
“Nobody should have to put up with threats or violence while doing their job.”
Although money had already put in to police patrols on London buses, he said it needed to go further and recommended a review of public transport policing.
In the three years to May 2013 almost 5,000 incidents were recorded and about 40 per cent involved assaults or weapons being brandished.
Of the 1,632 incidents in 2012/13, 15 bus drivers were threatened with a weapon, 536 were physically assaulted and 981 suffered verbal abuse.
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