POLICE officers could be drafted in to patrol buses in Glasgow in a bid to stop vandals wreaking havoc.

Talks have started between Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, the police and the city's biggest bus operator First to get bobbies on the buses.

Alistair Watson, below, chairman of SPT, pointed to Glasgow's Subway where two full-time officers were seconded in December to police the underground for six months.

The success of the Subway scheme has now prompted SPT to look at extending patrols to buses to improve passenger and driver safety.

Councillor Watson said: "We are very, very ambitious about safe travel. We shouldn't underestimate the impact a uniformed police officer can have in cutting down crime and promoting safety."

He revealed the plan after vandals went on a wrecking spree last week along Edinburgh Road in Springboig and Barlanark, trashing five shelters - just days after they'd already been smashed by thugs.

SPT has calculated the cost of repairing and cleaning up bus shelters on Edinburgh Road alone since November is nearly £10,000. The total bill for repairs to bus shelters across the city over the last financial year was £45,000.

SPT also forked out an extra £37,000 to clean the shelters after they were covered in graffiti.

Transport bosses say they also want to extend a 12-month CCTV pilot scheme where up to six pinhole cameras are being installed in bus shelters across 10 local authorities in Strathclyde.

The pilot will initially focus on 25 bus shelters deemed vandalism hotspots with the cameras capable of recording up to 30 days worth of images.

"I would like to see the time when all our shelters and bus corridors are monitored by CCTV and I want to get a more visible police presence on routes," said Mr Watson.

"As already demonstrated in the Subway, police are happy to look at secondment so I see no reason why this wouldn't work on the bus network.

"There is constantly talk about congestion charging and encouraging people to use public transport but we must make it better and safer."

A police spokeswoman confirmed "early discussions" had taken place with SPT about providing officers for bus patrols.

She added: "Our chief inspector in charge of crime prevention is in talks with SPT's security manager about getting a more visible police presence on buses."

Glasgow MSP Bill Aitken, who wrote to Strathclyde Police chief constable Willie Rae earlier this month asking for a higher police presence on buses, welcomed SPT's bid for bobbies on buses.

He said: "There is a growing problem of violence and vandalism on our buses."