There are fresh calls for security to be tightened on Dublin Bus after a passenger was viciously assaulted by a group of youths on Friday.

The man was attacked by the gang armed with belts on a bus to Blanchardstown – with a large amount of blood left splattered outside the driver’s cabin.

SIPTU is now calling for stronger deterrents against violent crime on public transport – warning that the number of incidents has “increased significantly” in recent months.

Assault

The union’s Dublin Bus spokesman Stephen Millane said the bus driver was left severely shaken by the incident.

“She was driving the N4 route to Blanchardstown,” he said.

“An altercation took place between a number of youths and another passenger on the bus. They got off the bus and got back on and proceeded to attack him.

“There were severe injuries and as you can see from the picture, there was a lot of blood spilt and sprayed all over the place.

“It was a female driver and this happened only inches away from her cab.”

Blood stains outside the driver’s cabin of a Dublin Bus following a serious assault on passenger near Blanchardstown. Image: Supplied

Mr Millane said violent attacks are becoming almost a daily occurrence on public transport in Dublin.

He said some people are now too afraid to take public transport in the capital as result.

“The Government are trying to get people on public transport but there is a fear out there from a lot of the travelling public to use public transport because of the amount of incidents and the escalating incidents and the severity of the incidents,” he said.

“There needs to be some sort of stronger deterrent because it is coming to a situation where it is not just happening at nighttime in certain areas now.

“It could happen in the city centre, it could happen in the middle of the day – the incident on Friday took place at 6pm in the evening.”

Transport police

Mr Millane said bus drivers need greater protection.

“The cab of the bus is our working environment – that’s our workplace,” he said.

“For something this gruesome and extreme and violent to happen as part of your work is just ridiculous.

“The number of incidents happening on public transport has increased significantly recently.”

Additional reporting Michael Staines.