CCTV plan to halt troublemakers
A MOBILE CCTV unit could be moved to a Runcorn yob trouble hotspot where a lawnmower was recently thrown at a bus.
Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) Christine Hogan, writing in a Halton Lea newsletter, said officers had asked Halton Borough Council to relocate the camera to the busway in Halton Lodge at the junction with Grangeway close to the bus stop and footbridge.
PCSO Hogan said this followed a rise in anti-social behaviour.
The Weekly News recently reported concerns from Halton Lea ward councillor Dave Thompson who raised the possibility of the footbridge being demolished to prevent it being used to attack buses.
His comments followed an incident on June 3 when yobs threw a lawnmower at a bus.
Cllr Stan Hill, the borough’s portfolio holder for transport, showed less optimism about that being viable because of the speed of the buses using the road and potential risk to pedestrians.
The lawnmower is not the only incident to have occurred at the same spot.
In January 2019, a Runcorn man’s wrist was injured after vandals threw a brick through a window of Arriva’s 500 service, launched overhead from the walkway.
Attacks on buses have plagued other areas of the town also in recent years, with some bus routes even being cut short or diverted to avoid areas experiencing a spike in trouble. CCTV is now being considered as a potential way to quell the problem.
PCSO Hogan said: “Sadly there has been an increase in ASB again around the Halton Lodge busway and shop area, this has included youths gathering and causing anti-social behaviour.
“Officers have increased their patrols and one youth has been issued with a ASB pathway letter to deter future behaviour.
“Officers and myself will continue to monitor the area.
“We are also requesting Halton Council move the nearby mobile CCTV camera to this location.”