MEASURES will be put in place to tackle the "appalling" antisocial behaviour issues at Poole bus station, says a town councillor.

Borough of Poole (BOP) town centre ward representative Cllr Andy Garner-Watts, who is also one of the directors with Poole's Business Improvement District (BID) – the body representing 500 town centre firms – said: "I work very closely with the anti-social behaviour teams within the council, obviously the BID itself is very concerned about the effect this is having on business.

"It is affecting footfall as people don't want to come into town on the buses if they are going to have aggravation.

"The BID, the police, the council, MoreBus, and L&G, are all working together to put something in place that will help tackle this issue.

"I cannot go into further detail at this time, but we are aware of the issue – we are not shying away from the fact that this is a problem."

Earlier this week the Echo reported on gangs of teenagers running riot through the bus station on a regular basis.

Two violent incidents in the same week are the latest to be investigated by Dorset Police, who confirmed on Wednesday that two 12-year-old Poole boys had been arrested in connection with one of these incidents.

Officers from the Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) are already patrolling certain areas of town that have been plagued by problems, including the bus station, under their 'consequences' scheme.

Meanwhile, dozens of frustrated bus passengers have taken to social media to highlight the bus stations issues.

Abigail Victoria said: "I was there with my seven-year-old and a bunch of kids were threatening to burn down Subway.

"Sickening behaviour. The parents need to bury their heads in shame."

However, Trudi Way said: "Have you ever thought some of the parents are at their wits end, reporting them missing all the time and powerless. The police can't do anything either.

"How about constructive ideas how to stop them?" And Emma Cox said: "They are not unstoppable, they just know that nothing will happen because they are minors.

"As far as I am concerned if they are big enough to do the crime then they are big enough to face real consequences."

According to Cllr Garner-Watts, antisocial behaviour is actually declining in Poole, but this is having the effect of dispersing problems into other areas.

He said: "When we disperse them from the bus station they go up to Tower Park, to Canford Heath.

"What we want to do is join up with the police and the new council to have a joint effort to tackle it Poole-wide."

n On Wednesday, March 27, two 12-year-old boys from Poole were arrested on suspicion of violent disorder.

They are assisting police with their enquiries