Fury as spate of vandal attacks on Blackpool buses spark safety fears and cost thousands to repair

Wanton vandalism on buses and trams across Blackpool are costing passengers time and transport bosses thousands of pounds.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Oct 2017, 20:56 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2017, 09:35 BST
Smashed windows on buses and, bottom left, a CCTV image released by Blackpool Transport of a youth throwing a brick at a bus in CleveleysSmashed windows on buses and, bottom left, a CCTV image released by Blackpool Transport of a youth throwing a brick at a bus in Cleveleys
Smashed windows on buses and, bottom left, a CCTV image released by Blackpool Transport of a youth throwing a brick at a bus in Cleveleys

An average of three attacks every week are now being carried out across the resort, leading to delays on services and expensive repair bills.In one case a passenger was showered with shards of broken glass, while one projectile reportedly narrowly missed a mum and her baby.School assemblies and classroom lessons are being now being held, primarily targeted at children in years seven and eight, in a bid to tackle the problem.Child ‘ambassadors’ are also being asked to report back to teachers on who is causing trouble on board public transport in the town.Blackpool Transport chairman, Coun Christine Wright, said: “We are absolutely appalled at the level of vandalism and inconsiderate behaviour of a small number of individuals.“We’re investing heavily in buses to ensure that by 2020 no bus in Blackpool is more than five years old and we can provide a premium service which our customers deserve. “Unfortunately persistent anti-social behaviour is making this difficult.“It won’t be long before somebody is seriously injured and these individuals need to take responsibility for their actions. “We will do everything in our power to ensure that they are prosecuted.“Whilst nearly all of our customers and residents are looking after their state-of-the-art buses, the small minority of vandals also need to do the same.”And Jane Cole, chief executive officer at Blackpool Transport, added: “The real shame is that it’s the absolute minority spoiling it for everybody else. “A smashed window not only results in hundreds of pounds of repair work but also means everybody else on the bus or tram can’t get to where they need to be.“People are left waiting at bus stops because the bus can’t continue to run, the impact is huge.“Our staff deserve to be able to do their jobs without fear and our customers deserve to be able to travel in comfort without the risk of missiles being thrown through the window.“We’ve already had to stop replacing damaged USB ports on the tables of our double decker buses.“We’re proactively engaging with schools across the Fylde Coast to educate pupils on the damaging effects of such behaviour, as well as working with the police, headteachers, PCSOs, and anti-social behaviour groups. “We absolutely will not allow this behaviour to continue and we’ll do everything we possibly can to ensure that our customers receive the service they deserve. “We would urge anybody who spots any kind of anti-social behaviour on our services to report this to the driver, the local authority or the police.”