A PASSENGER today criticised a bus driver she says failed to act when she and another woman were attacked.

Joanna Williamson, 30, was struck in the eye when she stepped in to help a woman and her young son on the 81A bus in Brighton last night.

Postwoman Joanna, of Ladysmith Road, said there was a scuffle after the woman repeatedly told a middle-aged man to stop staring at her.

Joanna tried to help when the man hit the woman and she shouted to the bus driver to call the police when she was also struck.

But she says the driver failed to help and the attacker, who had been drinking, ran off towards Queens Park Road.

Joanna said: "It is not acceptable for a male to hit a female in the first place but the driver didn't even get out of his seat.

"He could have closed the bus doors and driven the man straight to the police station but he did nothing at all.

"The driver said it wasn't his job to step in.

Bus company managing director Roger French said he would investigate and added: "I'm concerned to hear the allegation the driver didn't help a female passenger."

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