WHEN vandals hit a public service it is time the community bands together to stop the rot.

News that bus operators have withdrawn some of their services is a sad indication that something, somewhere has gone wrong with our society.

Bus services are a facility used by a cross-section of the population which is being encouraged use them to ease congestion and pollution.

Well, maybe we could if the buses weren't being recalled to the depots because imbeciles are using them for target practice.

Something is sadly wrong when innocent people have to suffer because of the action of idiots. It would be nice to think the wrong doers would be in hiding rather than the service providers having to tuck away their transport.

Today's teenagers have education opportunities which their parents could only dream about. Then why do a small, but highly noticeable number, behave as if they had been stuck up a chimney since infancy?

Vandalism on public transport isn't confined to stone-throwing incidents either. Damage to vehicles from passengers who ungratefully slash seats as gratitude for getting from A to B is mystifying and eventually has to be paid for by the customer.

Now we hear of proposals to introduce US-style yellow buses to local routes to ferry pupils to and from their schools.

With the same driver every day, and parents taking turns to babysit on runs, maybe the correct way to behave on and towards our public transport will be instilled at an early age.