Drivers worried after rocks thrown at buses

A bus company has had to alter routes after rocks were thrown at vehicles.

Stagecoach buses running through the Rectory Farm area of Northampton have had to alter routes on and off over the past year, with the latest in September, due to young people launching rocks, stones and conkers.

The decision was made for driver and passenger safety, the company said.

"At the end of the day we're just trying to do our job, we've got other road users to think about and passengers to worry about," said Stagecoach driver Olly Baker.

"It's not ideal people throwing things at buses, people on here have homes to go to and it's not nice at all."

Northamptonshire Police said other vehicles were also being targeted.

The rock throwing incidents "sit on your mind" as a driver, Baker said.

"It can sometimes play on a driver's mind all day if his route won't take him to the area until the evening," he added.

Baker, who has worked as a bus driver for about two years, said: "I was down here last week and pulling away from the bus stop and [there were] big things being thrown at the bus and I can see people running off at the field.

"It's so unnecessary, there's people on here [and] although the glass is safe, large objects could get through and hurt someone, it's not nice."

Issues with items being thrown at buses in the Rectory Farm area have been happening on and off for the past year, said Mark Whitelocks, managing director of Stagecoach Midlands.

He said the company had become worried about "the risk of injury" to drivers and passengers and diversions were put in place to protect those on board.

Mark Whitelocks said Stagecoach would divert or alter bus routes again if issues persist [Harry Stevens/BBC]

"It's them [passengers] who feel the pain of the diversions that we put in place and they lose access to services and it makes their life a bit harder," Whitelocks said.

"It's not a clever thing to do, it's not funny and it's not funny for the people on the bus.

"We don't want to divert services again, but ultimately there's nothing more important than the safety of our drivers but also the customers on the bus and if we have to make those difficult decisions then we will do because we don't want anyone getting hurt."

Police say they have increased patrols in the Rectory Farm area [Harry Stevens/BBC]

It is believed the items were being thrown from a nearby footbridge.

Northamptonshire Police said: "These actions may seem harmless, but they can cause serious injury to drivers, passengers, cyclists, and pedestrians, as well as significant damage to vehicles.

"Throwing objects at moving traffic puts lives at risk and could result in criminal offences being committed."

The force has increased patrols in the area, it said.

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