Ciaran Rogan: Main concern is for safety

But Mr Rogan said the company's main concern was the safety of passengers and drivers.

Translink had earlier issued a final warning that it was ready to act to ensure the safety of staff and passengers following a surge in attacks and robberies.

Mr Rogan said the attack on the female driver was "the last straw".

Translink said that in the last four months there were 20 reported assaults on bus drivers and 80 attacks on vehicles. About 600 windows were also broken.

The number of incidents this year has increased by 86% on last year.

Translink said 41 people had been injured since July and the number of passengers hurt had risen by 64%.

Sinn Fein north Belfast councillor Eoin O'Broin said isolated communities would lose out.

Translink rejected his comments.

'Cuts are disgrace'

However, speaking to News Online on Thursday, passengers waiting at the city centre bus stop for the number 57 said they were dismayed at the cut in the night service.

Agnes Gray said: "There are little enough buses up to Ligoniel. We are waiting more than half an hour for a bus as it is."

This is going to double my travel costs as I play in a band in town at nights and I already have to pay �20 a week for taxis home from work

William Gibson Bus passenger

William Gibson said: "The cuts are a disgrace. There aren't enough buses as it is."

"I play in a band in town at nights and I already have to pay �20 a week for taxis home from work.

"Now that the buses only run until 5.30, I'll have to get a taxi into town as well and that is going to double my travel costs."

Meanwhile, pupils from the Boys' Model secondary school in north Belfast have been barred from the number 93 bus after food was thrown at other passengers.

Translink said the incident happened after pupils from the school boarded the bus on the Oldpark Road on Wednesday afternoon.

A female passenger also reported to the driver that a bag of urine was thrown at her.

In a statement the school said: "We do not condone antiocial behaviour from pupils on buses but we feel this incident has been blown out of proportion".

The school added that it had already identified and disciplined with one of the culprits.