BUSINESS owners on the Stewartstown Road have called for drastic action to tackle the ongoing rise in anti-social behaviour in the area, after cars and buses were attacked and damaged during mid-term break.

Police received two reports of damage to cars and the window of a bus was also damaged. 

On Saturday night, Translink made the decision to temporalily scale back on services from McKinstry Halt to Colin Connect as stones were thrown at a number of vehicles including a Glider. 

A Translink spokesperson said the safety of its customers, staff and the wider public is of “top priority” at all times.

“Stones were thrown at a number of vehicles, including a Glider last Saturday night on the Stewartstown Road. No injuries or damage were reported.

“To ensure the safety of our passengers and staff, Glider services were scaled back from McKinstry halt to Colin Connect for approximately 30 minutes.

“We condemn anti-social behaviour and we offer a reward of up to £1,000 for anyone prepared to give evidence in court which leads to a conviction.”

Business owners on the Stewartstown Road have said something needs to change before someone is seriously injured. 

“You look at things and you wonder what is going to make them stop, what can you provide them with to make them stop,” one exasperated business owner said.

“It is people who are from this area and I have seen kids as young as 10-year-olds with them. They really do not care – they light fires, they throw stones. They steal from the premises and spit on the floor. There are cars getting damaged and there are kids in these cars.

He said it all comes down to behaviour and parenting.

“How do you change it? Where do you change it? It’s a difficult one to answer. I don’t see it changing anytime soon and I don’t think they’re ever going to change. It is their parents that have to do something about it. Parents have a big responsibility in how their kids are raised and behave but they’re the ones that need to do something.  

“This community has so much potential and there are so many decent people in it but someone is going to get hit on the head with something and I’m surprised it hasn’t already happened at this stage with how regular it goes on.”

In the last six months, the Andersonstown News has reported on various incidents of anti-social behaviour on the Stewartstown Road including deliberate fires being set, damage to Glider and car windows, and an 11-year-old girl being taken to hospital after “being hit in the face by a missile” and sustaining a cut from her eye to her nose at Páirc Nua Chollan.

Martin McDonald, owner of Colin House & Home on the Stewartstown Road, said the square where the shops are located is a “meeting place" for young people.

“Most anti-social behaviour is around here in this square. It’s madness here.

“There isn’t a day that passes that it isn’t wrecked with rubbish lying about. They brick the police and the buses. They don’t care. It’s crazy. 

“They’re breaking the bricks off the wall across the road and that’s what they’re using to throw at the police and cars.”

Speaking about an incident at the start of last week, Monday 13 February, Sergeant Rob Keogh of the PSNI, said: “It was reported that a number of young people were in the area at around 2.50pm and were seen throwing items at passing vehicles. We've had two reports of damage to cars and the back window of a bus was damaged. The bus was in service at the time, but thankfully no one was injured.

“Officers attended the Stewartstown Road and Twinbrook Road areas to conducted patrols. Our enquiries are continuing, and we are appealing to anyone who may have any information which could assist us to contact 101, and quote reference number 1217 13/02/23."