Buses have been withdrawn from a Newcastle estate at night and firefighters have been attacked after gangs of young yobs turned the area into a no-go zone after dark. A continuous stream of vandalism and anti-social behaviour has led Stagecoach North East to divert nine services from Blakelaw, fearing the area is no longer safe for drivers and passengers.
Firefighters say they have come under attack while attempting to deal with blazes set around the estate. Residents say they no longer feel safe going out at night. An emergency meeting was held on Thursday and heard how the community has been blighted by bus stonings, fires and attacks on firefighters.
Residents describe terrifying bus journeys
Mary Richardson, 82, told ChronicleLive of a terrifying journey during which her bus came under attack. "I was on one bus coming into Blakelaw, I couldn't even see them but they threw a brick and I was lucky it didn't go through the window and hit me. It hit the window but it didn't smash the window," she said. "There was another time they hit the door and the door shattered. It was frightening. It's not very nice for people."
Mary, who has lived in Blakelaw for 54 years, says the area is being dragged down by unruly teens who target buses and police officers. She fears the young people are putting themselves at risk, as well as the public. "We have had a lot of fires and throwing fireworks at each other and the police," she explained. "One of the lads was too slow throwing the firework and it exploded in his hand. The younger ones are getting involved, they are learning from the older ones. Anything could happen to them."
Mary, who has regular hospital appointments, said the bus diversions were impacting her life. "I use the bus a lot. I go to the Freeman Hospital on the bus," she continued. "I went to see my sister-in-law last night at the Freeman, I said I had better go as the bus stops at 6.30pm. It affects everyone's life."
Buses diverted from 6.30pm
Stagecoach North East announced last week that it would be diverting nine services operating in Blakelaw. From 6.30pm services 6, 7, 32, 32A, X47, X77, X78, X87 and X88 will not pass through the area. The operator said the diversions are likely to last for a month, but would be kept under review.
Kelly Carr, 63, says the yobs are also making life hell in the block of flats where he lives. "It's lads that have got nowt better to do. It's the same at the flats. They wait for someone coming out then let their mates in and sit and get stoned. People don't want to come out of a night time because it's intimidating. They are setting the bins alight and everything. They have got no respect the young 'uns these days," he said.
A 54-year-old woman, who did not want to be named, said the problems were not new. "It's been going on for about three or four years," she said. "It's annoying because it seems to be every year when the kids go back to school after the holidays. I know the buses have got to stop or they will put their drivers at risk. There are lots of kids that just don't care and the police say they can't do anything, it's just ridiculous."
Firefighters attacked and police arrests
Malcolm Curries, 76, added: "I have been here about 30 years, it hasn't really changed. It's been like this for a while. I don't go out at night." Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed that its crews have become victims of the disorder. A spokesman said: "In recent weeks, we have attended a number of serious incidents in the Blakelaw area of Newcastle which have consequently resulted in attacks on our firefighters and fire appliances. We will continue to work closely with our partners to help address these issues and prevent similar incidents in the future. However, we will not tolerate violence or abuse directed towards our firefighters or any of our blue light colleagues."
Colin Newbury, Operations Director at Stagecoach North East, previously told The Chronicle that the decision to introduce temporary diversions "has not been taken lightly" but the company must "act now before someone is seriously injured". Northumbria Police confirmed that the force is working to tackle issues in the area and officers have arrested several children. A spokesman said: "Anti-social behaviour, anywhere it occurs in our communities, is never acceptable and we will always look to identify those who are responsible and bring them to justice. We are aware of issues relating to bus drivers being threatened and buses damaged in the Blakelaw area of Newcastle in recent months."
The spokesman added that officers are using a range of tactics including uniformed and plain-clothes patrols and the deployment of the Trojan Bus, which appears to be a regular bus service but is a staged service which can pick up offenders and make any necessary arrests. "We are also liaising with local schools in the area to identify those carrying out this activity and working with transport companies to share information and intelligence, including CCTV footage. To date, we have arrested nine young people who are currently on police bail pending further enquiries," he said. Officers are urging parents to make sure they know where their children are going at night.
