Secret CCTV cameras are to be installed in bus shelters to catch vandals at some of the region's worst hot spots.

Frustrated by the continual cost of repairing the damage, transport politicians have approved the trial of a new high-tech security system for Centro's Showcase shelters.

Eight surveillance cameras will be built into 25 unnamed bus shelters and video recorded 24 hours a day.

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A control centre will check the footage and automatically spot shelter damage or graffiti. The offenders can then be identified and prosecuted.

A similar scheme in York-shire has been claimed to have cut bus shelter vandalism by three-quarters and has already led to a number of criminal prosecutions.

"It's certainly a big challenge - but if we can stamp out graffiti and vandalism it will be an enormous step forward in making public transport more attractive," said PTA chairman Councillor Gary Clarke (Con Walsall Streetly).

"We know that people are put off from travelling by bus because of a perception that they are unsafe. Even if this perception is wrong, we have to do something about it,"

Replacing broken glass costs more than £200,000 a year but most of that is a result of damage at a tiny proportion of Centro's 5,000 bus shelters across the West Midlands.

Centro said Showcase shelters were inspected six days a week, broken glass was generally cleaned up within two hours, and panes replaced by the next day.

Two dedicated teams constantly tour the network cleaning up graffiti and a new roving police unit has been funded through a bus shelter advertising contract.

Coun Len Clarke (Con Quinton), lead PTA member for buses, said: "Bus shelters are important to passengers.

"They are public property and we should not give in to the unsocial behaviour of a thoughtless minority."

The PTA, which sets Centro policy, approved a two-year trial of the CCTV systems at an initial cost of £62,500.

The spy units will be moved around to different shelters across the West Midlands identified in conjunction with the new Safer Travel police team.