Graffiti is on the rise in Farnham and nearby areas as a Badshot Lea bus stop was graffitied for a fourth time.

Cllr Chris Jackman came back from holiday after May half-term to discover the graffiti. He and his daughter cleaned up the bus stop, but he says it is only a matter of time before it happens again. 

Chris said: “The graffiti wasn't there when I went away and it was there when I came back. It's not even the same tag, it’s a different one each time.

“I’ve seen it in the town centre, Wrecclesham, Guilford and in Aldershot. The reason why we are getting involved particularly as councillors and volunteers is because it costs taxpayer’s money to remove.

“It's getting worse and worse.”

The situation follows Farnham Town Council’s (FTC) finance summary in April. It revealed that £9,846 has been spent so far this year on graffiti removal. Last year only £8,527 was spent but FTC’s reason for the uptake was the increase of graffiti around town.

In May, Cllr George Murray helped members from Bourne Conservation Group to paint over graffiti on a wall on Millenium Walk alongside Bourne Stream. Despite being repainted, it was covered with graffiti again two weeks later.

Chris wants more people in the community to keep an eye out on graffiti prone areas, to try to reduce it and supports the idea of allocated areas for graffiti art.

He added: “There could be a graffiti wall up for people and then every couple of months it could be repainted fresh again. I'd love to see something like that because graffiti can be artistic.” Graffiti can be reported to FTC or Waverley Borough Council and if you see someone, report it to Surrey Police’s ‘report a crime’ service.