Bus manager shocked by attack on bus for the disabled

[dutchman]

A bus manager has spoken out about the vandals who caused irreparable damage to a bus used by disabled children.



The American style Blue Bird bus was the favourite in the Lewis Coaches fleet but on 8 January vandals caused over £10,000 worth of damage.

In addition to its standard coaches, the company uses specially adapted vehicles to transport children with disabilities.

The most popular of these will now be scrapped because of the vandalism.

Kicked windows

On Saturday, 8 January 2011, a group of 12 young people were spotted by a security guard at the bus depot on the Binley Industrial Estate at around 2230.

Shortly after, manager David Metcalfe arrived. He told BBC Coventry & Warwickshire what he saw: "The bus was a mess; they had kicked out six windows.

"You could see the footprints on there where they had just used both feet to cause as much damage as possible.

"They also wrecked the whole of the front dash and the front two windows.

"Anything they could get their hands on they just just demolished. They wrecked seats, ripped out first aid kits, shoved stuff all over the place."

Shocking hatred

Mr Metcalfe was shocked by the level of destruction: "It left me speechless. I've never come across such hatred. It's mindless vandalism where they thought of no one else but themselves. It was an important bus for us, it really meant something to the children that used it."

The company has managed to continue its contracts by using a spare coach, but Mr Metcalfe says the bus is missed: "The children loved it because it's an American style vehicle like they see in films. The disabled children in particular really like it so it's a real loss for them."

The vandals created so much damage that the bus will now have to be scrapped.

Police response

Scenes of crime police are now studying evidence, including CCTV footage, but the company believes it will not be able to replace the specially adapted vehicle.