Bus windows shot at in Chadwell St Mary
Buses were targeted with what Ensign believes were pellet guns
Last updated 2nd Feb 2022
Police are investigating after three buses had their windows shattered whilst in service in Chadwell St Mary earlier this week.
Two incidents happened in River View, Chadwell St Mary, around 6pm, and a third took place on Marshfoot Road around 8:45pm.
Ensign believes they were shot at with pellet guns.
Mark Turner-Monk, Ensign's Operational Compliance Manager, says that whilst their buses have been targeted before, this incident was more serious:
"Usually it's stones and people throwing things at the buses. This one was something a little bit more sinister. This one was ball bearings being fired at a reasonably high power, so either a BB gun or a catapult...
"Just think about this danger to to to the driver. If that ball bearing had come through the window and hit the driver, it could have hurt her quite significantly. It's hard enough to take out a a tempered glass window, and if it was to hit her in the face or the head it could even knock her out.
"If she'd have been moving a vehicle weighing 10 tons and collapsed at the wheel... it just doesn't bear thinking about."
He also said there were the company was taking action:
"The vehicle has to be replaced, the service has to be curtailed, we have to get the bus back to the garage so it can be repaired and we have to get substitute bus out - that takes time.
"It's also an inconvenience to our passengers. Ultimately, if our vehicles are being targeted... we have little choice other than to suspend the route for a period of time whilst that danger is present and until we can be assured that that danger has gone. If that means the end of service, that means the end of service."
The manager also said people could get seriously injured if this continues:
"It's so dangerous it's unbelievable. As Chloe, our lady driver said earlier this morning, for somebody messing about, having a bit of fun, throwing something and hitting the side of the bus, the implications are huge. It's not fun.
"They need to take that on board and they need to stop it. If anybody knows who they are then they need to be contacting the police... because this has got to stop before somebody gets killed."
Essex Police are now investigating the incidents and are looking for witnesses or those with information to come forward.