VANDALS who have been targeting bus shelters across Christchurch have been slammed as broken glass was left scattered on the pavement in various locations.
Bus shelters in Somerford Road and Barrack Road have been damaged in recent weeks with both the council and elected officials expressing their disappointment.
Commons ward councillor Vanessa Ricketts described the vandalism as ‘appalling’.
She said: “This is pointless and mindless vandalism that is so disappointing after we installed a new shelter on Barrack Road this year.
“This shelter seems to have been targeted again and again and now there’s others opposite and further along that have been targeted too.”
Cllr Ricketts said she had contacted the BCP Council out of hours team on Sunday morning after seeing the damage for herself.
She said: “There’s glass all over the road and its totally unsafe.”
On Friday, BCP Council confirmed they were aware of vandalism to at least one of the shelters on Somerford Road and said they had made arrangements for repairs.
A local authority spokesperson said: “It’s disappointing when vandalism occurs at bus shelters as they are much appreciated by our many residents who rely on buses to get to work, school or the shops.”
The council also urged residents to report any vandalism online.
Commons ward councillor Margaret Phipps said: “The issue here is the anti-social behaviour, and that is the issue that has to be addressed.
“That is down to the police, who should be liaising with the BCP Council anti-social behaviour team.”
One resident took to social media to share photographs of a shelter on Somerford Road that had been smashed.
She told the Daily Echo that the vandalism was becoming a ‘regular occurrence’ and suggested a move away from glass shelters.
She said: “The shelters are very nice and modern but many of us do think it’s time to rethink the use of glass in them. There are so many other options and in the long term it would save money.”
But Burton and Grange ward councillor Simon McCormack suggested changing the bus shelters wasn’t the answer. He said: “We shouldn’t have to change our shelters in response to criminals, they should be put to the police and dealt with.
“On a practical level, we could perhaps replace them with things that are a bit sturdier. But it wouldn’t create as nice of an environment, the glass is nice, and people can enjoy the sunshine when its shining through."
Cllr McCormack also said the vandalism had gotten ‘worse and worse’ in recent weeks. He said he was due to meet with the neighbourhood policing inspector to discuss the matter.
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