between students travelling to and from school, while Island bus drivers are circulating a petition that would halt service to CedarBridge Academy.

Now parents will be asked to go back on Hallowe'en peacekeeping patrols and extra Police will be drafted across Bermuda on October 31.

The teens have already caused terror on several buses, pelting each other at bus stops and throwing rocks at passing drivers.

Now the buses will be forced to stop on Hallowe'en unless drivers are offered more protection.

Bermuda Industrial Union President Derrick Burgess warned last night that a petition was already circulating among drivers.

It is believed they could also vote to stop calling at CedarBridge, where they claim the trouble is at its worst.

Transport Minister Erwin Adderley revealed last night that Government would follow a similar approach to last year's policy which kept Hallowe'en violence to a minimum.

That means parents will be asked to join Police for patrols on the buses and streets.

A beefed-up Police presence is also expected to be revealed at a press conference today.

Mr. Adderley told The Royal Gazette he had met with Police chiefs and Public Transportation Director Herman Basden yesterday, in a bid to stop a full-scale egg war from breaking out between rival schoolchildren.

He said the crisis meeting was used to thrash out an emergency plan to combat the rising tide of violence on buses.

"I will reveal the full details tomorrow morning,'' he said last night. "But we have worked out a strategy and we quickly agreed to have a programme in place.

"It will not be much different from what we did last year, when we were successful in reducing the normal amount of violence on Hallowe'en.

"It will not be necessary for schools to close early but we are hoping to have the same sort of participation from parents.'' The Royal Gazette reported yesterday that students had already begun bombarding rival schoolchildren as buses pulled alongside each other in the morning and evening rush hours.

Several buses have already been damaged and two drivers are understood to have been hit by missiles.

One driver even forced every student off the Number 7 Hamilton-bound bus on Friday morning after a throwing flare-up with students on the Prospect school bus.

Mr. Burgess said last night: "As a result of this violence, the drivers are not willing to work on Hallowe'en unless specific measures are taken for their protection.

"They are also taking out a petition, refusing to service CedarBridge. I know that's circulating among the drivers already.

"They do need protection because it can be a dangerous job when there is trouble behind them on board and they have to contend with the traffic.

"I'm appealing to all my younger brothers and sisters not to throw anything at all while they are riding on the buses.

"We also need parents to be vigilant as this is not just a Police problem. We have got to come together.'' Mr. Basden said: "The meeting with the Minister and Police went extremely well.

"I have not seen the drivers' petition yet and we will act on it as soon as we see it.'' CRIME CRM