- You could get a round-the-world trip for what it costs to get these bus shelters in order and it would have been much more fun than a few seconds of enjoyment to crush them, says Stefan Abrahamsson, street engineer in Värnamo municipality.

The town Lives just outside Värnamo, has not had much damage from bus shelters since they were set up at the station ten years ago.

A couple of weeks ago, several glass panes in the so-called weather barriers were smashed along the railway track - and when the company that was to repair them arrived at the site, even more walls had been destroyed. The material was not enough to fix everyone and since then the cures have been left as they are.

Big increase

Jönköping and Nässjö municipality describe that damage to weather protection is going in waves, but they also confirm that there was a lot in the spring.

According to the Swedish Crime Prevention Council, BRÅ, up to 400 more police reports regarding vandalism are noted in April-June compared with the same period last year. This corresponds to an increase of 12 percent.

Broken weather protection is a costly problem for several municipalities. Many people believe that glass provides the best visibility, but have the disadvantage that they break just as easily again. Plexiglas is more durable, but more expensive, darkens over time and becomes easily scratched. In exposed places in Värnamo municipality, they therefore choose to set up perforated sheet metal.

- It is even more expensive, but it is a cost we have to take, says Stefan Abrahamsson.

A box of sheet metal costs approximately SEK 6,000. In a bus shelter with 7 windows, the price tag ends up at 42,000.

Municipalities reason differently

The municipality of Jönköping is currently replacing its windows with new glass, but discussions about the best alternative are ongoing. Nässjö municipality has tested sheet metal, but switches back to plexiglass or glass due to the safety aspect.

- We have bus drivers who think that travelers are difficult to detect behind the plate, says street engineer Jonas Funqvist.

Follow Bor and hear how Värnamo municipality reasons in the question in the TV segment above.