Evening services on three Stagecoach routes are suspended

Stagecoach has withdrawn evening services on three of its routes in Methilhill. It made the decision after four separate incidents in a month.

In one, a passenger was injured when a brick was thrown at the window of a bus and in another youths surrounded a vehicle preventing it from moving.

Fife Constabulary said plain-clothed officers would be used to catch youths.

Public safety

The 13, 48 and 49 services have been withdrawn after 1800 GMT.

Managers are hoping to reinstate the number 13 route from Monday after assurances were offered by the police.

Steve Walker, operations director of Stagecoach East Scotland, said: "This decision was taken in the interest of both public and staff safety.

"If allowed to continue, we would have been compromising the wellbeing of both passengers and drivers."

REPORTED INCIDENTS 12 Dec - Brick thrown through bus window. Passenger taken to hospital 19 Dec - Driver and passengers verbally abused by two youths 30 Dec - Bus surrounded by youths preventing it continuing its journey 30 Dec - Passengers verbally abused on service 48A

The company has said that any further attacks on its buses will lead to evening services being withdrawn permanently.

Several people have been reported to the procurator fiscal as a result of the attacks.

A 17-year-old man appeared at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court in connection with the brick being thrown at a bus.

Insp Davy Latto said: "This needs to be stamped out and we'll be doing all in our power to contribute towards the solution.

"We adopt a zero tolerance approach to anti-social behaviour, therefore I wish to appeal to the parents of local teenagers to strongly encourage them to make sure that their sons and daughters are not involved."

Independent councillor Andrew Rodger said it was wrong that bus users should suffer and urged parents to take control.

He told the BBC Scotland news website: "Parents have to take responsibility in terms of what their kids are doing.