Wolverhampton bus station now a 'no go area' amid wave of youth violence - councillor

The city's bus station has become a haven for violence, with gangs of teenagers regularly meeting up for a scrap on Friday afternoons.

And the Express & Star has been told that in the past 18 months a total of 14 police officers have been injured while dealing with flare-ups at the site.

It is understood that more than 100 youngsters have been involved in the violence, with one incident seeing a 15-year-old boy taken to hospital in April after he was knifed.

Councillor Wendy Thompson, Wolverhampton Council's opposition Tory leader, said the violence was a "long-running problem" that should have been picked up earlier.

She said: "All the organisations – the youth violence team, the Safer Wolverhampton partnership and the schools – should have been working together to prevent a culture building up where every Friday afternoon young people are fighting.

"The fact that 14 police officers have been injured shows just how serious this issue is.

"Parents and grandparents are fearful of their children using the bus station and it is for many of them it is fast becoming a no go area. The authorities have fallen down on the job."

West Midlands Police has vowed to beef up patrols at the bus station after admitting youth violence in the city was hitting "concerning levels"

A spokesperson for the force, said: "The bus station is a busy place with a high footfall, where our city centre teams carry out regular patrols.

"This has led to arrests, some where officers are assaulted whilst doing their job and protecting the communities they serve.

"We are committed to our work with partners across the city tackling anti-social behaviour and violence and welcome the Safer Streets funding to support these activities, including preventing young people from engaging in criminal behaviour."