AN operation to tackle the blight of antisocial behaviour towards Bradford's buses has been launched.

Bradford West Neighbourhood Policing Team said the 'Trojan operation', in partnership with bus operator First, got underway after recent damage to buses in the district.

This special kind of operation involves police officers in plain clothes riding on bus services through hotspot areas.

Last year, one bus driver spoke out and said attacking buses had "become a habit" for young people in Bradford, pinpointing areas of West Bowling, Clayton and Buttershaw as the worst-affected parts of the city.

His comments came after yobs threw a brick through the window of a bus in Manchester Road and 12 bus windows were later smashed in three days.

Earlier this year, the Telegraph & Argus also reported on a shocking incident where a young girl was hurt when bricks were thrown at a bus which was travelling on Reevy Road West, Buttershaw.

The bus service had to be withdrawn from the area for the rest of the evening and the actions of the yobs involved were condemned.

While West Yorkshire Police and First were not able to provide any more details about how the operation had worked in Bradford, or which areas were targeted, before going to press, they said a similar scheme in Leeds has led to a "significant reduction" in the number of incidents.

Between the end of October and December last year there were 56 incidents of criminal damage involving First West Yorkshire services – an average of seven per week.

From January this year until the end of April there have been 49 incidents – an average of three per week.

And the cost of vandalism to vehicles operating from the company’s Hunslet Park Depot has been around £70,000 over the last financial year.

Officers from Safer Travel and Leeds Anti-Social Behaviour Team - both part of the city’s community safety partnership Safer Leeds - have been working alongside First West Yorkshire and colleagues in local neighbourhood policing teams in the affected areas to target the issue.

In a series of operations using the Trojan Bus tactic, within the Inner East team’s area, a total of eight youths were caught and appropriate action was taken to address their behaviour.

To educate young people about the dangers and consequences, staff from First West Yorkshire have been working with local Safer Schools officers to deliver presentations targeting Year 7 and 8 pupils, who are the age group most likely to be involved.

Chief Inspector Nick Ireland said: “These kinds of attacks, which have also affected taxis and private hire vehicles, not only present obvious dangers to the drivers, passengers and other road users but also affect communities while buses are out of action and services that people rely on are reduced or suspended.

“The recent operations that have taken place using the Trojan Bus tactic have led to a significant drop in the number of incidents and we hope the bus-using public will be reassured by that."