Ham estate a no-go area for buses

3:18pm Thursday 22nd January 2004

A LARGE part of Ham became a no go area for buses after dark when London United refused to let 371 buses go through the estate after a driver was shot at close quarters with a paint ball on Monday night last week.

Peter Spring, bus priority co-ordinator for London United, said: "A driver was hit in the neck by a paint ball fired at him when the bus door opened to let passengers on. The attacker fired from the bus doorway so although the driver ducked, he suffered severe bruising because the missile was fired from such close quarters and he had to be taken to hospital."

Mr Spring added: "Ham residents are too frightened to go out of their homes after 8pm, which is not right in the 21st century. Someone is going to get seriously hurt.

"It was a difficult decision to pull the buses out of the estate because it meant the kids had won, but we will not compromise the safety of customers or staff."

Local youths have on several occasions in the past few months attacked the 371 buses by throwing Continued on page 2 From page one missiles at them and in the weekend prior to the paintball attack a car was torched in Ham and youths staged a riot on a 371 bus . A bouncer going to work in Kingston threw the youths involved off the bus.

Mr Spring said a meeting will be held of London United representatives, the police, local councillors and Grey Court School to try to resolve the situation.

Bus drivers resumed driving through the estate on Friday following discussions with the police, who have now assigned a task force of four officers to the estate.

A spokesman for London United said: "In the light of police presence in Ham London United feel comfortable and confident to resume normal service in Ham and would like to apologise for any inconvenience this matter has caused passengers."

A spokesman for the police s confirmed there would now be more officers on duty in Ham and said; "We will do our utmost to deter this kind of incident."

The shot driver was taken to Kingston Hospital for treatment and a pupil from Grey Court school in Ham has been questioned by police.

Local people were not happy with the situation. One resident said: "My daughter was one of the passengers ordered off a 371 when it got to Ham Parade.

"They weren't told in advance that the bus wasn't going through the estate and when they complained to the driver about having to get off, he said there was a notice on the back of the vehicle - but who would look there?"

The pensioner, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: "My daughter, who has got rheumatoid arthritis and was carrying three bags of shopping, had to walk from Ham Parade to near St Richard's church.

"She was terrified when a car with four youths stopped as she thought they were going to come up to her. When she got home, she was in such a state, she just sat down and cried."

Richmond Park MP Jenny Tonge said: "Whilst I have considerable sympathy with the drivers, the withdrawal of this service was quite unacceptable. Some of my constituents had to walk for 20 minutes in the dark to reach their homes. I think what we need are bus marshalls. They would be a great deal more use than air marshals."

Marco Forgione, Conservative community campaign leader, said: "I am calling on Transport for London and the police to meet me so that we can start to address these very serious and pressing problems."

ends