Watford Borough Council's "vandal-proof" mirror smashed

4:30pm Wednesday 9th January 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Mike Wright, Chief Reporter

"Vandal-proof" mirror smashed "Vandal-proof" mirror smashed

A "vandal-proof" mirror placed in a Watford underpass to deter antisocial behaviour has been smashed.

Watford Borough Council said the mirror was vandalised over the weekend after being installed by a council grant in the subway leading from The Crescent to Watford Fields.

Hertfordshire County Council gave the borough council £55 to install the measure to "provide visibility along the main part of the subway, deter anti-social behaviour and make it a safer area to walk."

The county council also described it as an "anti-vandal proof mirror".

Watford Borough Council said the mirror will not be replaced unless there is another grant to do so.

Comments(24)

Andrew1963 says...
4:44pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Maybe as it is Vandal proof - the manufacturer will supply a free replacement?

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TRT says...
4:47pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Well, it's certainly proved that there are vandals around.

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Andrew1963 says...
4:56pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I think a broken mirror is probably more likely to give the impression that the subway is a dangerous place to walk than no mirror at all. Frankly anyone vulnerable to attack is unlikely to prevent it by the time they get close enough to view any sinister image in even a complete - 'vandal-proof' mirror - What are they suppossed to do- Turnaround and walk back to whence they came - hoping the assailant wont follow? If that is the purpose of the mirror perhaps a full safety audit of the subway will end up recommending its closure or simply not replacing the mirror at all?

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D.unstable says...
5:10pm Wed 9 Jan 13

I think that they have a duty to ask for the money back as it has been proved not fit for purpose. If not a waste of tax payers money.

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Mohandas says...
6:36pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Vandal proof - is it April Fool ? Someone is having a laugh.

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Nascot says...
8:34pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Back to the labs boys..!

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MarsLander says...
9:01pm Wed 9 Jan 13

Seven years bad luck!

I find it sadly amusing that the Mayor can find four and a half million quid to tart up the pond and build a bridge over it, yet will not buy something as useful as security improvements to what appears to be a known trouble-spot in Watford. "They will only fix it if the County pays for it."

One has to wonder if the Liberals have got their thinking caps on and their priorities straight.

Whatever are they thinking? It's crazy!

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LSC says...
9:26pm Wed 9 Jan 13

If you squint, you can make out the reflection in the mirror of the purple flag that flies over our untroubled town.

But seriously, the fact the mirror was put there in the first place is an admission that the public are are risk in our town. The fact it was instantly destroyed simply underlines who owns our streets.
It isn't the police, it isn't the council with their on the spot litter fines, and it sure as **** isn't decent law abiding people.

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MarsLander says...
9:35pm Wed 9 Jan 13

LSC wrote:
If you squint, you can make out the reflection in the mirror of the purple flag that flies over our untroubled town.

But seriously, the fact the mirror was put there in the first place is an admission that the public are are risk in our town. The fact it was instantly destroyed simply underlines who owns our streets.
It isn't the police, it isn't the council with their on the spot litter fines, and it sure as **** isn't decent law abiding people.
The Liberals have run up the white flag more like.

What's Dotty got to say on all this? "Nothing to see, nothing to do with us, move along, nothing to see".

Pathetic response from Watford Council.

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Hornets number 12 fan says...
10:41pm Wed 9 Jan 13

That is not a Vandal Proof Mirror it's a Bog Standard Plastic Shop mirror! they are a brittle as anything I used to see many of them broken before they ever got to their customers let alone get fitted!

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John Dowdle says...
2:26am Thu 10 Jan 13

I am not convinced that a mirror costing just £55 could be remotely considered as vandal-proof.
On principle, the mirror should be replaced as leaving it damaged as it is sends a message that the vandals have won - not a good idea.
A new one should be put in place and the general area covered by CCTV so that when next vandals attempt to destroy the new one, they will be detected and prosecuted.
I am surprised to see Watford Council rolling over on this one. What are they: cowards?

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Phil Drackley says...
3:19am Thu 10 Jan 13

The county council also described it as an "anti-vandal proof mirror".

There's the problem - it obviously wasn't attacked by 'anti-vandals'!

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theguitarman says...
4:43am Thu 10 Jan 13

This mirrow is made of polycarbonate with a film finish to make it reflect and stop it smashing into little bits. There is no such thing as "vandal proof", the correct term is "vandal resistant". Anti vandal is exactly that, it could be attacked but it would be harder.

Example: You would think that a brick wall 4 feet thick would be "vandal proof" however it is only a strong as the bulldozer which knocks it down.

£55 for a mirror is peanuts and you are not going to get a great unit for that, £400 to £550 is more like it. See http://www.securikey
.co.uk/anti-vandalis
m-security-mirrors.

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Mike Watford says...
9:42am Thu 10 Jan 13

If you read this - the headline doesn't match the story.

The mirror is Herts County Council (and they own all the subways) but WBC installed it for them.

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MarsLander says...
9:48am Thu 10 Jan 13

Mike Watford wrote:
If you read this - the headline doesn't match the story.

The mirror is Herts County Council (and they own all the subways) but WBC installed it for them.
What responsibility does the town council take for residents safety in situations like this?

The mirror and subway may be county, where does your responsibility begin?

Which Liberal councillor are you Mike?

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Mike Watford says...
10:04am Thu 10 Jan 13

Not a councillor or activist.
My view is that every individual or organisation has some responsibility 'safety' - but was just commenting on the contridiction of the headline to the article.

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MarsLander says...
10:06am Thu 10 Jan 13

Mike,

I find that so hard to believe.

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Mike Watford says...
11:26am Thu 10 Jan 13

that says more about you then!

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MarsLander says...
11:35am Thu 10 Jan 13

Maybe it does, I take what you said with a large pinch of salt, or maybe it says more about your consistent comments on the WO supporting the Lib Dems every time they get a bit of negative comments and your knowledge of issues often citing facts not readily known by the general public.

We all know that Lib Dems prowl the comments of the WO and post under false identities. You fit that M.O.

Maybe you are married to one of them or acting as a proxy.

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Watford Voice of reason says...
11:50am Thu 10 Jan 13

Very sad that someone has done this.

Also very sad that as usual, the comments to this story have turned to political bashing! Yawn!!!

How about some positive comments about tackling vandalism?

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Nightreader says...
12:41pm Thu 10 Jan 13

I broke an 'unbreakable plate' once - it was my finset hour, I was only about 6!

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Razor Sharp says...
12:06am Fri 11 Jan 13

Bash the mirror, bash the Councillors, bash the Council, bash each other here. Then walk home late at night after returning on an expensive train back from London, stumble in the dark dodging turds (not a euphuism for Councillors I should add) then go to work again, stop off at Watford Junction and observe RH making a drunken style video and think about the 32% pay rise MPs were considering. Then think, what is RH really doing? Getting signatures for a petition ...... Really? Then read where tax payers money is going in Watford. Are you surprised that someone then smashes a vandal proof mirror. It could have been a disgruntled commuter ..... Who knows.

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Mohandas says...
7:48am Fri 11 Jan 13

Given it was in a hot spot, were any impact studies done on its lifecycle given that it had to cope with a lot? At £55 did it at least ‘reflect’ broke Britain or broken Britain? Great picture opportunity for a before and after spin story which mirrors what’s being spun at Wat Junction.

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garston tony says...
11:15am Fri 11 Jan 13

Isnt putting up a vandal proof mirror in a known hot spot a red rag to a bull to the scum involved?

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