Bus shelters left smashed and graffitied on the Mornington Peninsula
Dozens of bus shelters have been smashed and graffitied from Mornington to Blairgowrie in a new spate of mindless vandalism, with angry locals demanding action and change.
South East
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Vandals targeting glass bus shelters on the Mornington Peninsula are leaving commuters exposed to extreme weather and putting pedestrian safety at risk.
Angry locals say holiday-makers and youths are to blame for the spate of mindless damage, the latest which saw more than a dozen shelters targeted along busy Point Nepean Rd.
The crime spree has sparked calls greater police presence, CCTV or metal shelter.
Trevor Bolton said the vandalism was widespread.
He said he worried his school-aged son would cut himself on the smashed glass.
“Anyone could slip and hurt themselves,” he said.
Mr Bolton said the vandalism happened “all the time”, but it was worse over the summer holiday period.
“How bad does it look to tourists too, it’s just got to stop, it’s pretty dumb,” he said.
“I am just a concerned ratepayer and I’m sick of seeing them smashed.”
Using perforated metal panels would be a smarter choice, Mr Bolton said.
Flinders federal Liberal MP Greg Hunt said damage to the bus shelters and vandalism was a “serious issue and must not be tolerated.”
“Of particular concern is when the vandalism can cause injury to pedestrians and those using the bus service,” he said.
“I have written to the Member for Nepean and Minister for Public Transport calling for a safe solution in order to protect public transport users and deter further damage in the future.
“One option would be the installation of security cameras, as we have done in public areas through the Safer Communities Program.”
Locals have pointed the finger at holiday goers and youths, saying the issue only seems to arise around this time of year.
Chair of the Rye Community Group Alliance Mechelle Cheers said this summer had been a bad one for bus shelters, which had been smashed “time and time again”.
“It leaves people catching public transport very vulnerable to the extreme weather we are currently having,” she said.
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Ms Cheers said there was no easy answer to the problem.
“Perhaps consideration needs to be given to the installation on the shelters of CCTV cameras or similar so the police have a better chance of catching these vandals,” she said.
“Alternatively, the police could consider undertaking at key periods a bus shelter blitz on regularly vandalised shelters.”
Police have been contacted for comment.