Harefield bus yobs strike again

Oct 17 2012 by Jenny Gray, Uxbridge Gazette

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YOBS have yet again targeted the 331 bus as it travelled past the village green – this time throwing a missile which smashed a window and narrowly missed a small child.

Sunday’s attack was the latest in a series of incidents involving the bus at this stage of its route.

In March, the Gazette reported how police had used a decoy bus packed with police officers instead of passengers to try to catch vandals who were throwing stones and tampering with emergency exits.

Police have played down reports that the latest incident involved an airgun, saying the officer who was called to the scene made no mention of a ‘firearm-related projectile’.

Although nobody was injured in the incident, which happened at about 8.15pm, one passenger told the Gazette that a child was sitting in a pushchair near to where the window shattered.

“It made quite an impact,” he said. “The bus driver had obviously been warned and told what to do. He stopped the bus straight away and we all had to get off.

“I had a look on the green to see who could have done it but couldn’t see anyone.”

The green and nearby streets were subject to a dispersal order for the first three months of this year. Young people were barred from congregating in the area, and anyone aged below 16 who was out after 9pm without an adult was taken home.

But the order has not been renewed, despite calls by some neighbours.

PC John Foley of Harefield Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “There are presently no plans to reintroduce a dispersal zone in Harefield, although this is under constant review and remains one of our options.”

Hillingdon Safer Transport Team, which tackles anti-social behaviour on public transport, was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.

n What should be done to protect buses serving the village? Should the dispersal zone be reintroduced? See our letters pages, 14-15, for ways to have your say.