Attacked Hampshire bus driver says Stagecoach 'did not care'

Michelle Rosen, 60, of Brookvale, drove buses in the capital before moving to Basingstoke in 2009, joining Stagecoach, where she worked for nearly 11 years.

She says she never experienced trouble like the incident that ultimately cost her her job, and has accused Stagecoach of not caring for its drivers.

Mrs Rosen was driving the number 6 service on December 1, 2025, when three youths boarded at the Gaston's Wood stop and refused to pay. She told them to "pay, show a pass, or get off," but they refused, so she switched off the bus.

Mrs Rosen called her control room, whose staff confirmed the youths had been causing trouble all week and advised her to phone the police. She dialled 999 at around 8pm.

Michelle Rosen said Stagecoach management "did not care about their drivers at all" after she was attacked. (Image: Newsquest)

A second bus then pulled up. Its driver walked over to Mrs Rosen, assuming she had broken down. She quickly explained the situation, but the youths ran onto the second bus. That driver also refused to let them travel, and they returned to Mrs Rosen's vehicle.

"They were kicking the doors," she said. "They were calling me every name under the sun. They kept trying to kick the doors in, trying to open them with the button outside. I'm shaking, on the phone to the police, trying to keep the door shut."

One of the youths then wedged herself in the doorway. "She turned around and said, 'If you move, that's classed as assault,'" Mrs Rosen recalled. "That's what was left in my head. Then a can was thrown at me. It went over the top of the assault screen. It hit me."

The can, which Mrs Rosen's 'driver report form' identifies as an Absolut Vodka mix, was punctured at the bottom and still contained liquid. "It was just going everywhere," she said.

A Stagecoach Bus. (Image: Propaganda PR)

Mrs Rosen said she was trapped at the stop for around 20 minutes before the youth removed herself from the door. "I just took the handbrake off, and was gone," she said. She pulled up at a nearby stop to continue speaking to the police before returning to the bus station, where she signed off her bus at 12.27am and was sent home.

She later discovered there was no working CCTV on the bus, meaning police were unable to take further action. "They said they can't do anything because there's no backup and there's no proof, because there's no CCTV," she said.

When she raised the issue during her grievance, she says an assistant manager told her this was "as expected."

Mrs Rosen said: "You would have thought in this day and age, all buses should have, by law, CCTV working. The fact that it wasn't in there to start with is really concerning."

The bus stop at Gaston's Wood (Image: Google Street View)

In the days that followed, Mrs Rosen says Stagecoach offered her no support. "There was no backup. There was no aftercare. There was nothing. Stagecoach Basingstoke did not care about their drivers at all."

The following week, she was asked to return to the same duty. When she arrived at the bus station and spotted the group of youths nearby, her anxiety spiked. "I knew they were out. I knew I was working. I knew I was on that route, and the chance that they could get back on again."

She told managers she was leaving her job. "They did not care at all," she said.

Mrs Rosen says the impact of the assault has extended beyond losing her job. She now avoids going into town during school holidays. "I avoid it like the plague because I do not want to come into contact with kids," she said.

"I didn't want to leave," she said. "But I felt as though I had absolutely no choice whatsoever. Because I didn't feel safe. I'd been there nearly 11 years."

Stagecoach bus up close (Image: NQ Archive)

She lodged a formal grievance with Stagecoach's managing director, which was heard within a week, but she says it took four months to receive a response.

She said Stagecoach has since installed CCTV on older buses.

Mrs Rosen says she is not the only driver to have been affected. "Other people have been assaulted since by these kids. They seem to prey on newbies - people they don't recognise, like the loan drivers they get from other garages."

She claims other drivers have also left the company because they did not feel supported by management.

Her experience comes as the RMT union launched its nationwide Action Against Assaults campaign, highlighting a rise in attacks on transport workers.

Michelle Rosen left her job as a bus driver after she was assaulted and received no support from Stagecoach (Image: Newsquest)

RMT regional organiser Geoff Kite said: "Our Action Against Assaults campaign in Basingstoke will raise awareness of the plight of rail and bus workers who are sick and tired of the increased physical and verbal abuse and harassment they receive sometimes on a daily basis.

"We want to see comprehensive steps taken by employers and the government to secure our members' safety and well-being at work.

"This includes safe staffing levels, a robust BTP presence and pressure on local politicians to support our demands."

A spokesperson for Stagecoach said: “Stagecoach takes all reports of abuse or assault against employees extremely seriously and does not tolerate threatening or abusive behaviour towards staff under any circumstances

"Whilst we're unable to comment on individual employment matters, we can confirm the incident was fully investigated in line with our procedures.

"We are sorry to hear that the former employee feels dissatisfied with her experience and remain willing to discuss any further concerns through the appropriate channels and established company processes.

"The safety and wellbeing of our employees and passengers remains a priority at all times.”