Bus driver threatened with knife in Puerto del Carmen

Bus drivers in Lanzarote are calling for greater police protection after two incidents involving passengers in the space of a week, including one in which a driver was allegedly threatened with a knife in Puerto del Carmen.

The most serious incident happened at around 3:00am in the early hours of Sunday. Three young people were reportedly smoking, causing a disturbance and bothering other passengers at the back of the bus.

After passengers complained, the driver asked the group to behave. According to Ricardo Hernández, a union representative at IntercityBus, one of the group, who was under 18, then produced a knife and threatened the driver.

Other passengers intervened, helping to keep the situation under control until police arrived. Those involved were subsequently detained.

A separate incident took place several days earlier when another passenger allegedly attempted to assault a bus driver.

The passenger appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and began eating and drinking on board, which is prohibited. When the driver challenged the behaviour, the passenger allegedly tried to attack him.

Following the two incidents, representatives for drivers are calling on the authorities and the bus company to increase police presence at bus stations and transport interchanges across Lanzarote.

They say a more visible police presence could help deter aggressive behaviour and improve safety for drivers and passengers using public transport on the island.