The bus checks will be carried out until the end of October

Along with bus staff, police officers will be carrying out random checks on Lothian Buses every Friday and Saturday evening until the end of November.

The initiative is part of the Safer Scotland campaign.

Insp Fraser Jervis said: "The public of Edinburgh have a right to travel in safety and bus staff have the right to work in a safe environment."

Insp Jervis warned that anyone found in possession of a knife would be arrested and asked parents to ensure children were not leaving home carrying weapons.

Safe environment

"This campaign is designed as a high visibility deterrent to stop people carrying weapons of any description," he said.

"We want to prevent people from possessing knives rather than arresting someone for seriously injuring or killing another human being."

George McKendrick, Lothian Buses company operations manager, said: "Schemes of this kind go a long way to reassuring our passengers and staff that both the company and the police are fully committed to maintaining a safe environment for the travelling public of Edinburgh.