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£54k spent repairing vandalised traffic signals in an area of west Belfast

Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard pictured with councillor Stephen Magennis and community safety worker for Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Michael George at the traffic signal at Bellsteel/Glenwood. Picture by Simon Graham/Harrison Photography
Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard pictured with councillor Stephen Magennis and community safety worker for Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Michael George at the traffic signal at Bellsteel/Glenwood. Picture by Simon Graham/Harrison Photography Infrastructure Minister Chris Hazzard pictured with councillor Stephen Magennis and community safety worker for Colin Neighbourhood Partnership, Michael George at the traffic signal at Bellsteel/Glenwood. Picture by Simon Graham/Harrison Photography

MORE than £50,000 has been spent repairing vandalised traffic signals in an area of west Belfast over the past two years.

The Department of Infrastructure revealed that six sites in the Stewartstown Road area have been deliberately damaged on 77 occasions.

One set of traffic lights at Bellsteel/Glenwood had been vandalised on four separate occasions in just three weeks at a cost of around £10,000. There have been a total of 34 attacks on this location over the past two years, costing around £30,000 in repairs.

The department said the vandalism was also focused on another four locations, including Stewartstown Road/Bell Steel Road junction which has been attacked on 16 occasions costing around £12,500.

The Stewartstown Road at Glengoland has been vandalised on six occasions costing £3,000, while Pantridge Road at Pembrook Loop Road has been attacked nine times costing £3,500.

The pelican crossings at Dairy Farm and Twinbrook shops have also been vandalised on 12 occasions costing around £5,000.

Infrastructure minister Chris Hazzard visited traffic signals in the Stewartstown Road area, which have been repeatedly vandalised and called on those responsible to stop the attacks.

"These traffic lights at Bellsteel have been vandalised 34 times in the past two years at a cost of £30,000," he said.

"The problem seems to be escalating as between 24 October and 14 November alone it has been vandalised on four occasions at a cost of £10 000 to repair.

"This is particularly worrying considering how close it is to the local primary school. This is simply unacceptable.

"Transport NI aims to repair these signals as soon as possible but this is an unnecessary drain on our limited resources. It is a direct attack on the community and impacts on the safety of road users and pedestrians."