Wolverhampton bus stop vandalism spate causes hundreds of pounds of damage
There has been a spate of vandalism attacks on bus shelters in Wolverhampton.
Over the last week three, shelters were smashed overnight in Tettenhall Green and on Stafford Road. The damage to each shelter costs transport authority Centro up to £180 to repair.
Councillor Jonathan Yardley, of the Tettenhall Regis Ward, said: "It appeared these bus shelters were vandalised in the early hours.
"The glass had been smashed all over the roads, it was dangerous to people walking and driving around the area.
"This isn't the first time this has happened, is it going to be the last? Something needs to be done about it and fast."
The latest attacks last week mark a continuation of a long-running issue over the state of the city's bus shelters.
Centro says it replaced 141 glass panels on 72 shelters in the city in the year up to November 2014.
Many of them were located in and around Birmingham New Road, although bus shelters have also been destroyed in Chapel Ash, Bushbury, Fallings Park and Heath Town.
The total cost of repairs to shelters in Wolverhampton last year was more than £3,000.
Bosses at Centro say they have taken measures to reduce the number of incidents, including fitting CCTV cameras at shelters that are considered hotspots for vandalism.
The Safer Travel Police Team, a partnership made up of Centro, West Midlands Police, British Transport Police and transport operators, have stepped up patrols in areas with a history of criminal damage to bus shelters.
A total of 485 shelters in Wolverhampton are now fitted with polycarbonate panes. Steel mesh shelters are also being trialled at 86 sites across the West Midlands, including nine in Wolverhampton
The metal shelters, which Centro describe as 'extremely resilient', come with a five-year warranty to reduce the potential cost of repairs.
Centro spokesman Pete Cameron, said: "We own and maintain thousands of bus stops and shelters across the West Midlands for the comfort and convenience of passengers, including more than 1,000 in Wolverhampton.
"Unfortunately vandalism carried out by a few individuals does occur and that is why we continue to put measures in place to reduce the number of incidents.
"More resilient shelters have been installed at key locations, CCTV cameras have been fitted at some sites and the Safer Travel Police Team have increased patrols in areas with history of criminal damage to bus shelters."
Centro operates a policy of fixing every broken bus shelter within two weeks.
