Yobs hurl rock through windscreen
A TRAM driver was rushed to hospital after yobs hurled a huge rock from a bridge through the windscreen of his cab.
He suffered injuries to his face and chest and is now recovering.
The late-night attack between the Derker and Shaw stops, on the line from Manchester to Rochdale, was condemned by Greater Manchester’s mayor and Metrolink bosses as ‘disgraceful and reckless.’
The tram, said by witnesses to be travelling at around 50mph at the time of the attack, came to an emergency stop, but the driver was able to carry on to Shaw and allow his passengers to safely get off.
The driver was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital but escaped serious injury.
Police are investigating the attack, which took place at 9.50pm on Monday. The rock was thrown from a footbridge north of the Derker Metrolink stop.
Andy Burnham, the new mayor of Greater Manchester, said attacks on Metrolink services and stops wouldn’t be tolerated.
He said: “Recently we have seen far too many reports of missiles being thrown at trams and often through windows, injuring and frightening those on board.
“The consequences of the incident were disgraceful but could have been even worse. I’ll be working closely with Metrolink, TfGM, Greater Manchester Police and the Travelsafe team to ensure we are doing all that we can to end these attacks.”
The operators of Metrolink condemned a ‘targeted attack with clear intent to harm.’
Chris Coleman, managing director of RATP Dev Ltd, said: “We will not tolerate any actions that put staff and customers in danger and we will do everything in our power to support police to find the culprit.
“We have a clear strategy in place to deal with issues of anti-social behaviour on the network.”
Transport for Greater Manchester said the driver had been left very shaken.
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s head of Metrolink, said: “We condemn such behaviour in the strongest possible terms and are working closely with the police to tackle problems of anti-social behaviour along the line.”
Police said no arrests had been made but investigations were continuing.