Missile morons force bus service off the road
FROM PAGE 1 on Thursday when a youth threw a stone through a passenger window.
During another attack on passengers, McGill’s staff discovered a child’s scooter had been used to destroy glass panels.
McGill’s managing director Ralph Roberts said: “Service 61 will not be operating past Cross Road after 8pm due to the recent mindless and vicious attacks, targeting our buses, in the Foxbar area of Paisley.
“I have no alternative but to withdraw our buses from the area to protect our employees and passengers. I apologise for the inconvenience that this will cause.
“Only luck prevented these attacks resulting in serious injuries. I am responsible for the safety and wellbeing or my staff and customers and am unwilling to ask them to go into, what has effectively become, a lawless area.”
Officers say they have strong community links, including dedicated officers working in the area on a daily basis, and are confident of catching whoever is responsible with the public’s help.
Police are writing to Foxbar families for their support in the investigation.
Inspector Tracy Harkins, from Paisley community policing team, said: “These are dangerous and idiotic acts of vandalism.
“It is only through good fortune that no serious injuries have occurred to either the driver or passengers within these buses.
“We are carrying out extra uniformed and plain clothes patrols of the area however we have been unsuccessful in detecting the offenders so far.
“I would ask all local residents to be vigilant of persons hanging about or acting suspiciously within the area to call the police immediately. It is not uncommon for the public to have information on those responsible and I would implore anyone with any information to phone us on 101.
She added: “The withdrawal of bus services from the area as a result of these mindless acts could have a life-changing impact for people living there, including the elderly and other vulnerable residents, leaving them isolated from friends and family.
“If you have any information at all then we need to hear from you.”
Councillor Stephen Burns has also appealed for the community to pull together to finger who is behind the bus attacks.
He told the Paisley Daily Express: “Someone must know who it is that is throwing stones and vandalising buses in Foxbar and I would urge them to come forward and let either the Police or the bus company know who is responsible.
“There has been a recent outbreak of vandalism and stones being thrown at McGill’s buses as they pass through routes in Foxbar. The bus company estimate that the current damage to windows and panels is now over £10,000.
“A recent incident saw a large stone hitting the driver’s cab window as a bus was heading along Brediland Road and resulted in buses being withdrawn from that route.
“Apart from the damage to the vehicles there is the obvious safety concern for drivers and passengers – and even for other road traffic and pedestrians if drivers are trying to avoid being hit by missiles.
The SNP member for Paisley South west added:“McGill’s are working with Police Scotland to try to track down the culprits but if this does not stop then there it is likely that the whole community will lose out.
“Someone must know who is doing this and I would appeal to everyone who has any information to pass it on to Police Scotland or even use the Crimestoppers - 0800 555 111 - phone line if they want to pass on the information anonymously.
“If this vandalism doesn’t stop I am concerned that someone will get seriously injured and that the long- term effects could see McGills pulling out from running bus services in Foxbar leaving this community isolated from the rest of Paisley.”