Drivers 'scared' after bus expressway attacks

Buses use the route of a former railway line to avoid the congested A32

Bus drivers have been left "scared" to use a £20m expressway following anti-social behaviour and objects being thrown at vehicles, a transport operator has said.

The Elipse Bus Rapid Transit scheme, which opened in 2021, links Gosport and Fareham along the route of a disused railway line.

Managing director of First Bus South Simon Goff said buses had been diverted on to main roads following a "sustained period of attacks".

Hampshire Constabulary said it was investigating a number of anti-social behaviour incidents.

First Bus said a number of buses had been damaged

The bus-only carriageway is intended to take buses off the congested A32 road.

Mr Goff said the vandalism and anti-social behaviour was taking place in daylight hours as well as during the evenings.

He said the attacks had included "really quite large objects" being thrown at new electric buses, leaving them with smashed windows and damaged bodywork

He said the worst-affected areas were Titchbourne Way, Gregson Avenue, Brewers Lane Bridge and the Oakden bus stop.

"We can't guarantee the safety of our drivers and our passengers. Obviously we do have to act.

"Naturally the drivers are really scared because you can imagine driving a vehicle on a busway and then suddenly without any warning you've got a really large object thrown at you.

"We have enough spare fleet to allow for maintenance etc but when you've got three or four vehicles off the road at a time, it obviously puts real pressure on the operation."

He called for a "community effort ... to bring the perpetrators to task".

"We carry key workers to hospitals etc and if we can't get them there that's a problem that's going to affect the whole of society," he added.

Hampshire police said two incidents were reported and there had been discussions with the bus company over other anti-social behaviour incidents.

It said a bus windscreen was damaged on Henry Cort Way after an object appeared to be thrown from a bridge on 24 August.

On 28 August a small group of children were also seen to be throwing stones at the roof of a bus on Tichborne Way.

The force has appealed for anyone with information about the incidents to come forward.