Classical music bid to make Dewsbury bus station yobs Bach off!

After a successful pilot scheme in Huddersfield, transport bosses are turning to classical music to deter gangs of youths from loitering.

The orchestral tones will soon be piped out into the entrance halls of staffed bus stations – including Dewsbury – and the scheme could eventually be extended to Batley and Cleckheaton.

Metro chiefs in West Yorkshire are convinced that piped classical music creates a more harmonious atmosphere for station users and acts as a deterrent to youths who hang round the station entrances. It is thought playing classical music rather than easy listening might make them decide to loiter elsewhere.

Composers whose work will be played include Bach, Mozart, Vivaldi and Handel.

A Metro spokesman said: “Our customers will soon be experiencing the magic of Mozart and beat of Beethoven being played in our bus stations following the successful trial in Huddersfield where classical music has been played at the bus station entrance since February.

“Feedback from our regular passenger surveys has shown that playing live or recorded music is appreciated and comments from Huddersfield have been very positive with passengers commenting on the ‘soothing atmosphere’ while waiting for their bus. And our surveys have shown that the initiative does act as a natural deterrent to people gathering at the entrances.

“We haven’t got a timescale for this yet but it something we would like to see introduced in all our bus stations.”

The idea was first tried by Metro in Keighley five years ago and is now being revived.

Dr Simon Warner, lecturer in popular music at the University of Leeds, said there were anecdotal reports of the scheme working in other parts of the country.

“If it is effective then it might be justified though I find the idea of music being used like a weapon a bit sad,” he said.