Bus station safety plan is on target

A partnership initiative involving school principals, the police and Translink is achieving its aim of curbing incidents of anti-social behaviour at Ballymena Bus Station.

In response to rising numbers of such incidents since the start of the new school term, the partners got together last month and came up with a dedicated strategy to ensure the safety of the 2,000 and more students who arrive at the Galgorm Road depot daily to board buses.

Releasing details to The Ballymena Times on Friday, Inspector John Allen said there has been a noticeable decrease in reports of anti-social behaviour in the short number of weeks since the strategy was implemented.

“This decrease is due to the proactive patrolling of officers from the Neighbourhood Police Team, Response Teams and members of the Ballymena Crime Team, who have worked closely with Translink employees to tackle this issue,” he said.

“I would also like to thank the local schools for their active participation in giving advice of safety issues to their schoolchildren when transiting the bus depot”.

Inspector Allen stated that as part of the agreed safety strategy for schoolchildren, buses are now picking up pupils directly from schools and taking them home.

“This avoids the need for the children to attend the bus depot in the afternoons,” he added.