Vandalism on the city's buses may seem like a danger and expense bus companies will have to face alone.

But it could have serious implications for the travelling public if the most effective defence for the company's staff and vehicles is to withdraw services.

Alternatively, passengers who use the services may have to foot the bill, through an increase in fares, as companies are forced to pay for strategies to protect their staff, equipment and vehicles from attacks by vandals.

During the weekend, a Brighton and Hove bus sustained one of "the most serious trashings for a very long time", according to bus chief Roger French.

The damage was caused in the early hours of Saturday morning, when a disturbance broke out on the top deck of the N98, while it was in Poynings Road, Hangleton, Hove. Windows were smashed and passengers intimidated.

Twenty seats were destroyed and poles, which connect the seats to the ceiling, were ripped out, causing damage costing as much as £5,000 to a £140,000 bus, which was less than a year old.

A youth has been charged in connection with the criminal damage but the night bus services are under threat of being cancelled on that route.

Tony Mernagh, of the Brighton Town Centre Business Forum, said there could be serious implications if the bus company withdrew its late-night service.

He said: "One of the issues the bus service addresses is late-night rowdyism in the town centre. The late-night service plays an important role in getting people out of the town centre as quickly as possible."

Mr Mernagh said the very people who benefited from using the bus had been involved in wrecking it.

He said: "It's almost like they have killed the goose that lays the golden egg."

He said no one would blame a bus company that had to make a decision to withdraw a service if the insurance and repairs did not make it commercially viable to operate.

And, unfortunately, incidents such as Saturday's are not unique.

Two weeks ago, a student was injured when a vandal threw a snooker ball through the window of a number 25 bus as it travelled north along Lewes Road, Brighton.

The incident came just days after vandals hurled bricks at three buses in Brighton and Hove.

However, the city is not alone.

In one six-week period, beginning in June last year, 87 buses in Bradford were damaged at a cost of almost £30,000 to the First Bradford company.

In Ireland, one politician suggested parents of children who vandalised buses should be thrown out of their houses by the local authority, following a series of attacks on public transport.

Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company boss Roger French is determined his fleet and staff should not have to work in fear.

Mr French is talking tough when it comes to tackling the perpetrators of vandalism and he is determined to ensure his passengers and staff have a safe and comfortable journey.

One of his strategies to prevent attacks has cost the company more than half-a-million pounds.

Digital cameras are being placed in every bus in the 220-vehicle Brighton and Hove fleet, a project which should be completed by the first quarter of next year, which will cost more than £2,500 for each bus.

There are three cameras on each single-decked bus and six on double-deckers, 24-hours a day.

The cameras cover all angles and the digital images can be used in court as evidence. The pictures are crystal-clear and the technology has already been responsible for catching criminals in other areas of the country, using the technology.

Mr French said: "They are an incentive to people not to commit crimes on the buses and they ensure other passengers and the drivers feel reassured they are safe. They seem to be effective."

The bus company has also had special constables on the buses at night, although Mr French admitted the force had other commitments, which made it difficult for officers to be deployed on the buses regularly.

Despite the recent attacks, Mr French does not want to deter people from travelling on the buses.

He said: "This problem has to be kept in context, otherwise you whip up a fear of using public transport.

"The number of incidents we have, such as on Saturday, although they are serious and must be highlighted, are very, very small and it's important to get that into context."

Every day, almost 100,000 journeys are made on Brighton and Hove buses and 30 million each year, with relatively few serious incidents of vandalism committed.

But the company boss has vowed not to tolerate damage to vehicles or the company's reputation.

The company has a policy, whereby any parent of a child caught vandalising a bus, who is too young to face a criminal court, pays for the repairs.

And Mr French will be watching the response of magistrates dealing with people convicted of offences on his vehicles.

He said of vandalism: "This is a most serious offence, a breach of the peace and we want these people dealt with seriously. We will be watching what happens."

Mr French believes no commercial company will run services if vandals and vandalism is not treated seriously by all agencies and it will be the public, ultimately, who suffer because of the actions of a minority.

He said: "The people who commit these offences have a vested interest in the buses running."

He said bus companies could take on security staff and double or treble the number of staff on buses but that would then put into jeopardy the economic viability of running a bus service.

He is encouraging people to unite to protect bus services and to report anyone spotted attacking buses in any way.

Anyone who wants to report bus crimes to Sussex Police should telephone 0845 6070999.