Dundee taxpayers could face a £60,000 bill this year for the repair of smashed and vandalised bus shelters.
Council chiefs say the level of damage being caused to shelters across the city is the worst they have seen for the past decade.
It comes after a number of shelters were smashed over the weekend at various locations, with the incidents highlighted by the chief of bus operator Xplore Dundee.
Some shelters in areas like Broughty Ferry have been vandalised, repaired and then smashed again.
The local authority is now looking at ways to cut costs to the public purse – including reducing the number of bus shelters it looks after.
Broughty Ferry councillor Craig Duncan has been pushing for action on damaged shelters.
Level of vandalism ‘far higher than last 10 years’
In correspondence from the the team leader of the council’s parking, sustainable transport and roads division, Mr Duncan was told: “The level of destructive vandalism (smashed glass) across the city in the last six months has been far higher than at any previous time in last 10 years or so.
“Damage in Forthill and Barnhill has been particularly bad with a spate of damage in December and further damage in the last week or so.”
It added: “A large pane of glass in a bus shelter costs £196 to supply and fit.
“The full repair of a large shelter that has lost all its glass is in the region of £1,900 (six large panes of glass and six small panes of glass).
“The cost of repair is met by the council-wide insurance budget and this year, I expect the total bill to be in the region of £60k, although I will try and seek a definitive figure from colleagues in that team.”
Ralph Roberts, CEO of McGill’s – which owns Xplore Dundee – tweeted earlier this week images of several smashed bus stops, saying: “A smashing time was had in Dundee at the weekend I see.”
His firm has previously spoken out about the impact of anti-social behaviour on its services.
What are the potential solutions?
Dundee City Council currently uses toughened glass in bus shelters.
The email from the roads team said: “This is a preferred solution and preferable to polycarbonate because it is significantly cheaper and can also be cleaned more easily.
“Polycarbonate panels, once vandalised/graffitied, can become an eyesore and cannot be restored to looking ‘as new’.
“There is no perfect solution and I have to hope that we are experiencing a phase of destructive behaviour that will run its course.
“I have delayed replacing the glazing in the shelters in Broughty Ferry to try and avoid further repeat damage. However, we will begin to replace the shelter glazing in weeks ahead.”
Plans to reduce number of bus shelters
The council says it plans to “reduce our exposure to vandalism” by reducing the number of shelters it manages across the city, or introducing polycarbonate or mesh panelling where appropriate.
But it says this is a “costly operation” and with many shelters coming to the end of their 17-year lifespan, the local authority will “have to make a decision about how much money is invested in such an approach”.
Mr Duncan says he has contacted police about the ongoing problems.
He said: “I would like them to deploy patrols or mobile CCTV to identify and apprehend culprits.
“I would urge residents with any information to get in touch with police as soon as possible.”
Asked for comment, a city council spokesperson repeated the comments made in the email to Mr Duncan, adding: “Alternative materials will be investigated as the bus shelter stock nears the end of its operational life.”
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