Service 29 vandalism and anti-social behaviour affecting Walsall buses

[Westy]

Would that be the fountain or the corner shop between Wolverhampton road next to the school

Haven't a clue, but doesn't the 9 cross from Wolverhampton Road onto Park Road towards Walsall?

I would suspect she walked from the Park Road stop, towards where the loo used to be, towards the stop for the Bloxwich Road services!

[I love Walsall buses]

Haven't a clue, but doesn't the 9 cross from Wolverhampton Road onto Park Road towards Walsall?

I would suspect she walked from the Park Road stop, towards where the loo used to be, towards the stop for the Bloxwich Road services!

Yes it does cross there speaking off which another incident happened on Saturday bout 20 kids on Ross road running across the road and swerving infront of the buses on the mopeds although as soon as a cop car came in about 5 minutes after they all ran off and didnt come back so no diversion needed but severly dangerous acts

[I love Walsall buses]

29s Diverting again tonight

[Westy]

29s Diverting again tonight

If I've read Twitter right, the diversion kicked in prior to 6pm.

Hope whoever commutes from that area got back ok.

[I love Walsall buses]

If I've read Twitter right, the diversion kicked in prior to 6pm.

Hope whoever commutes from that area got back ok.

Yep 4125 led the way from around 17:00

[I love Walsall buses]

Not quite sure on this one but im pretty sure 1887 has been attacked tonight while on its way back to walsall its gone back tk the garage and nothing else has replaced it since 21:00

[Westy]

Just popped up on Twitter, that the little darlings on the Wolves 11 are at it again, throwing stones at buses in Dickens Road, so buses are on diversion!

[Westy]

Anyone aware of the NextDoor website/app?

It's like Facebook minus all the crap!

Anyway, anyone aware of this, posted by a La Cross in Beechdale?

'Last night the driver of the 70 bus i was catching in the town told us he wouldn't be dropping off passengers in beechdale. He said a bus earlier had been damaged by youths, windows were smashed and bricks thrown at drivers window. Police came but couldn't find them as they'd scarpered by then. But later another bus was stopped by the gang, the engine turned off by them and the bus was boarded by abusive lads. The driver was threatened with a knife and told he was going to get stabbed. So our driver wasn't taking any chances and was avoiding the estate. So anyone who was stuck waiting last night for the bus to come, you can thank those wild, feral young lads who are out of control. He mentioned that the situation is just as bad in Willenhall and Tipton with feral gangs making bus drivers lives a miserable.
There's talk of taking the bus stops out of Stephenson Square completely, as that's where the majority will the trouble is.
What are the parents doing? They need to take responsibility for their children's behaviour and start disciplining them properly.'

Is this true?

Don't think there's a way to link to the page easily with my phone, as my laptop has gone down!

[Westy]

If Bustimes.org is correct, then things kicked off around 8pm, with buses being diverted either direct Stephenson Avenue to Cavendish Road or via Reedswood Way to Sainsburys , missing out Beechdale shops!

[Stu]

Anyone aware of the NextDoor website/app?

It's like Facebook minus all the crap!

Anyway, anyone aware of this, posted by a La Cross in Beechdale?

'Last night the driver of the 70 bus i was catching in the town told us he wouldn't be dropping off passengers in beechdale. He said a bus earlier had been damaged by youths, windows were smashed and bricks thrown at drivers window. Police came but couldn't find them as they'd scarpered by then. But later another bus was stopped by the gang, the engine turned off by them and the bus was boarded by abusive lads. The driver was threatened with a knife and told he was going to get stabbed. So our driver wasn't taking any chances and was avoiding the estate. So anyone who was stuck waiting last night for the bus to come, you can thank those wild, feral young lads who are out of control. He mentioned that the situation is just as bad in Willenhall and Tipton with feral gangs making bus drivers lives a miserable.
There's talk of taking the bus stops out of Stephenson Square completely, as that's where the majority will the trouble is.
What are the parents doing? They need to take responsibility for their children's behaviour and start disciplining them properly.'

Is this true?

Don't think there's a way to link to the page easily with my phone, as my laptop has gone down!

I'm not from round those parts, but reading stuff like this really riles me.

Is anybody actually doing anything about this?

Hopefully bus operators are registering complaints with the police, but then why aren't the police proactively preventing this from happening in the first place, instead of waiting for an incident to be reported?

And what are the local councillors doing?

[Bob]

Can only imagine what the parents are like! 😡😡😡😡 Probably never worked and completely entitled

[DJ]

He mentioned that the situation is just as bad in Willenhall and Tipton

I've lived in Tipton all my life, and naturally used the local routes too many times to count. I've never had any real issues with anti-social behavior. Sure, there's the odd few who might try and fare dodge, or play music on the bus, but nothing on the scale of what has been reported with the 29.

[Wumpty]

I've posted several times about this. I've lived in the area for 30 years and worked on the buses in the area for 10 of them.

ASB isn't a new thing, though it is exploiting a number of areas to become more prevalent.

POLICING: Blakenall/Harden/Coalpool was served by 2 police stations in Walsall and Bloxwich. Walsall closed leaving Bloxwich to cover the whole of the Walsall borough, including 999 response and neighbourhood teams. Bloxwich is the furthest station in the north of WM meaning resources are even more stretched. Neighbourhood policing teams have been slashed to a 4 on (rotating days/lates)/4 off meaning that for 4 days there's no local police cover, relying on 999 response or general patrols.

So, ASB knows the shift patterns (posted on the WMP website!) and when they can strike best.

COUNCILLORS/MPs: Both in for their own political gains, happily pointing the fingers at police for not being visible enough and not patrolling at key times (conveniently forgetting that these same politicians/government have slashed police budgets!) instead of working with community groups to identify ASB and councils evicting troublemaking families. Councillors will further berate operators for culling/withdrawing services because it leaves families without a key, socially necessary transport link, without shouldering any burden of responsibility for the people that ;live in their wards/constituencies! Charmed life, eh?!

OPERATORS: Damned if they do, damned if they don't. NXWM are reporting ASVB to police, though with the above issues, it's hard to catch anyone when they can't respond quick enough. So, they either consider reducing, diverting or withdrawing services, then feel the wrath of the politicians who are non-stick and blame everyone else but themselves! Personally, I'd withdraw service after 6pm and play the health & safety card to protect drivers/passengers and their assets (though doubt anyone will until someone is seriously hurt).

Well, that's my opinion...........

[Westy]

I'm not from round those parts, but reading stuff like this really riles me.

Is anybody actually doing anything about this?

Hopefully bus operators are registering complaints with the police, but then why aren't the police proactively preventing this from happening in the first place, instead of waiting for an incident to be reported?

And what are the local councillors doing?

If they're anything like Mp Eddie Hughes, only interested in a photo opportunity!

[Westy]

According to Twitter,  the 29 is being diverted tonight, but is this the first time for ages,  or has it been on diversion all this time, as it was mentioned previously it was on diversion for the foreseeable?