Vandals set fire to volunteer-run bus service depot in Witney

Since moving into the derelict building on Windrush Valley Road in mid-June, the charitable bus co-operative West Oxfordshire Community Transport (WOCT) has seen its premises broken into on five separate occasions.

Vandals have smashed walls, sprayed liquids around, ripped electrical wiring out, started fires and sprayed graffiti. On one occasion builders caught two perpetrators in the act, but they managed to get away before police arrived.

Andrew Lyon, WOCT operations manager, said: “We’re desperately disappointed that this keeps happening, especially as we're only here for the benefit of the local community.

“We’re just a voluntary organisation – so many people have worked hard to get this off the ground. A lot of work has gone into it over the years.

“They did tremendous damage. They tore out a whole wall at the back of the building and sprayed a liquid, maybe Lucozade, over a wall that had just been painted. Just to prove the sheer nastiness of it they poured water over the builder’s electrical tools, just mindless. It didn’t damage them but it could have done.

“I think they have been using it as a sort of den to drink and smoke and socialise – to them we are taking it over, but that’s no excuse.”

The building, leased from Sanctuary Housing, originally served as the estate office for Smiths Industries, which employed about 2,000 people at their factory in Burford Road until its demise in 2001.

It has stood empty for years and there has been a determined effort by residents and Oxfordshire County Councillor for Witney South and Central Andrew Coles to bring it back into use.

Cllr Coles said: 'It really is heartbreaking, the community has worked really hard to breathe new life into this building and what could be better for a base for our local community bus.

“The biggest frustration is that this is a small community project, this building was derelict for years so us turning it into a bus depot was a double benefit for the community. The building as it was reflected negatively on the area.”

Mr Coles has used some of his Councillor Priority Fund to support the repairs and refurbishment.

Regular passenger Jill Dean, who has lived on Smiths estate for 65 years, said: “What they've done is devastating, I just don't understand it. The bus is an absolute lifeline for many who would otherwise be lost without it.

“I take the bus two or three times a week into Witney for shopping or if I have to pick up a prescriptions. It hasn’t affected the bus service luckily because we’d be bamboozled without it.

“I’m heartbroken for everybody that has anything to do with that bus service. It’s a job to know who’s doing it but I would think it’s got to be youngsters for whatever reason, maybe because they have nothing to do, it’s just pure vandalism.”

For a small charitable co-operative, with limited funds, the vandalism could have spelt the end.

But neighbours have come together and local businesses offered their services enabling the building to be cleaned up, repaired and refurbished.

Mr Lyon said: “The response has been really heartwarming.

“From feeling like wanting to give up when we saw the damage to being spurred on to finish the project. I was absolutely distressed but somebody put it on Facebook and lots of people offered their services to us and that made me feel less disappointed. Just the fact of that made a difference.

“So can I take this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind words and actions, it really is appreciated and has made a difference.”

WOCT is run by volunteers and currently operates six bus routes in West Oxfordshire including the 215 which covers Smiths estate.

The service, which was operating from two industrial estates, is now hoping to move to the depot by next week.

Thames Valley Police, which increased patrols around the building following the incidents, were approached for comment.