Drug taking is making passengers increasingly “aggressive”, SIPTU has warned.

Some 80% of the SIPTU’s public transport workers regularly experience abuse while working, according to a new survey carried out by the union.

On The Pat Kenny Show, SIPTU Transport Sector Organiser John Murphy said drugs are to blame.

“We were surprised at how high the levels of antisocial behaviour, drugs and racial abuse have [become] over the last 12 months,” he said.

“It is prevalent, it’s out there and members are reporting to us that cocaine… seems to be making passengers more aggressive when they are taking it.

“Gone are the days where somebody might have been smoking cannabis or something and they’re a bit laid back.”

Lines of cocaine being divided. Image: Riccardo Ceccherini / Alamy Stock Photo

Public transport workers saw a ‘spike’ in drug use when lockdown began in 2020, Mr Murphy said.

“I’m far from an expert on drugs but I have read stories that it is on the increase, these types of drugs, across society in the last number of years,” he said.

“Put two and two together, we see that this is a major link into the increase in antisocial behaviour being experienced by public transport workers and passengers as a whole.”

Taxis parked in Dublin city centre. Image: Sam Boal/RollingNews

Mr Murphy said it is “impacting significantly” on public transport and the problem is not just confined to Dublin.

“Every town, village and city is experiencing these problems,” he said.

SIPTU is now calling for a specialist public transport police unit to tackle the rise in crime and antisocial behaviour on buses and trains.

“[These] people [would be] trained and capable of dealing with these types of behaviours and instances,” he said.

“A bus driver is not trained and shouldn’t have to deal with antisocial behaviour, assaults or abuse or drug taking.

“They’re there to transport people safely and securely from point a to point b.”

In 2022, then-Taoiseach Micheál Martin said Ireland was “some bit off” establishing a dedicated transport police.

Main image: A taxi rank in Dublin city centre.