× INCIDENTS of ‘mindless vandalism’ to bus shelters leading to costly repairs have more than doubled since lockdown, the Chronicle can reveal. Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request to South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) show that since 2019 there have been 417 reports of vandalism to bus shelters on Barnsley’s road network. In 2018-19, contractors called out to repair any of SYPTE’s 591 shelters logged 74 occasions where the cause of the damage was thought to be vandalism. The following year, that figure ballooned to 215 incidents amid a general increase in call-outs to repair shelter glazing, from 92 to 414. These range from weather damage - the borough was hit by severe flooding in November 2019 and the following January - road traffic collisions, and general wear and tear, as well as improvement works to existing furniture.