Mr. John Murphy:

The reason for the perspex screen was not antisocial behaviour but to protect from robberies. As the Deputy knows, the buses used to have cash many years ago. The norm was that if local drug users needed a few quid, they would jump on the bus and rob the driver. Putting the perspex screens in was initially to protect against that. Almost all of the buses are now cashless due to Leap cards and tickets. The amount of cash taken is very low and it goes into a safe. The screens were kept up to protect staff because the robberies were replaced by antisocial behaviour. I know what the Deputy is saying, which is that maybe the screens should be reinforced. However, the cab is the bus driver's office. Drivers or in it for eight hours of the day, so they do not want it to be like a prison, although we do want an element of safety to protect drivers. Drivers do not want it to look like they are behind a shield or metal bars. There is a fine line. Drivers still want some sort of freedom, but they want protection as well.