The majority of maintainence work is to repair vandalism

Cardiff Council are spending �70,000 fitting cameras to a number of shelters in the city.

It follows a six month monitoring exercise which showed that 89% of all maintenance visits were to repair damage caused by vandalism.

Since 1998, 563 bus shelters have been installed in the city with some coming under constant damage.

This is a welcome step to deter vandals Cllr Jim James

Now cameras are to be installed in some of the worst affected shelters in order to try and cut down on the problem.

South Wales Police are working with the council and bus shelter providers Adshel on the scheme.

Footage recorded by the cameras will be made available to the police to identify offenders and reduce criminal damage to the shelters.

"This is a welcome step to deter vandals by aiding crime detection and prosecution of offenders," said Councillor Jim James, the executive member for transport and environment.

"It should also help to provide a greater sense of security for waiting passengers and reduce the effects of vandalism."

In the past six years, more than �7m has been spent on installing new shelters across the city with another 47 shelter sites identified.

The council hope that by having CCTV monitoring the shelters, criminals will be deterred from carrying out vandalism.

Notices will be displayed in bus shelters, warning waiting passengers - and potential vandals - of the camera and the purpose of its installation.