BLACKBURN Transport today defended their strategy on safety after a driver was knocked unconscious and slashed with a blade.

Managing director Michael Morton said that everything was being done to ensure driver and passenger safety.

They were "cracking on" in their bid to have every bus fitted with CCTV surveillance by the middle of next year.

The move comes after the robbery of a 34-year-old driver by youths who boarded a bus in Rothesay Road in Shadsworth on Monday night.

The driver, who has not been named, is said to be doing well at home.

Police said youths made off with a small amount of cash in the incident. But despite bus drivers' concerns over safety and claims that they are "sitting ducks", transport bosses said: "We are doing everything we can."

Mr Morton said: "Of course we are very very concerned when a driver is assaulted and we are doing everything to ensure it does not happen again.

"We are well on with our CCTV policy and have sub-contracted the job to one of the leaders in the field, based in Poulton-le-Fylde."

Blackburn Transport bosses, backed by the drivers; union TGWU, rejected proposals to fit anti-vandal screens around the conductors bays last year saying they were "confrontational".

Mr Morton said: "In the main, drivers don't like anti-vandal screens as they are confrontational. We pride ourselves on friendliness and customer care.

"Drivers also have access to company mobile phones which can be used in the event of an emergency and they can pay in at any time at the depot and at the garage to keep their float to a minimum."

He said that some routes had "inherent problems" but there were no plans to change the timetables. Drivers worked a rota system to decide who did which route.

Mr Morton said: "If we had a particular problem in a route we would look closely with the trade union to see what can be done with it.

"Any incident like this causes us to look at safety and re-evaluate again what we are doing."

"This is not a common occurrence and we hope it does not become one."

Joe Heggarty, a TGWU union representative in Blackburn said: "Although this is a very emotive subject concentrating on CCTV is what the drivers want for their safety and efforts are being focused in this area.

"It is unfortunate their was not CCTV surveillance on this particular bus."

Police are appealing for witnesses and anyone with more information should call 01254 51212.