Police have stepped up patrols around Hamilton Bus Terminal as business owners repeatedly complain about gangs of schoolchildren scaring away customers.The bus depot is now seen as the “fighting meeting spot” as crowds of up to 50 boys and girls from schools across the Island get together “looking for trouble.”Students can be seen hanging around from about 3.30pm to 5pm and fears are growing that their presence could make the bus terminal a no-go zone.Staff at nearby businesses have to call the police “just about every day” as fights break out between the teenagers.About three weeks ago this newspaper reported on a mass brawl with about 20 schoolboys “laying into each other” which started with one boy swinging his backpack at another.Then at about 4.30pm on Monday this week a group of about ten students, including a couple of girls, were said to have been kicking and punching one another. The fight started in the bus station before continuing across the road where one boy was nearly thrown over the railings of Washington Lane.By the time police arrived on both these occasions the students had stopped fighting and fled the scene. But the mass brawl on May 19 did result in a 17-year-old being arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled drug.Talks are now understood to be taking place between the Ministry of Transport and the Bermuda Police Service. Options on the table include having a police officer stationed at the bus terminal’s ticket office day and night, and bringing in a private security company.In the meantime police officers are paying particular attention to the bus terminal during after school hours, although they don’t have the power to move on students unless they commit a criminal offence.Those who work on Washington Street, Church Street and the upper level of Washington Mall say they are “sick and tired” of the daily problem, which has escalated over the last six months.One store worker on Church Street, who did not want to be named, said: “It’s a huge problem, we end up calling the police just about every day.“It’s become the fighting meeting spot as they seem to arrange to meet their rivals here. Whether they are from St. George’s Somerset or town, they all end up at the bus terminal.“Our customers don’t want to have to see these people. You say ‘excuse me’ to ask them to move out the way and you get a mouthful of abuse. They always answer back.“The poor tourists have had to watch fights between these kids, what kind of impression does that create? People are going to be too scared to come out shopping soon.”At least 500 students from schools across the Island are said to pass through the bus terminal every afternoon. Most of them are in school uniform, but there are a handful of older teenagers aged about 18 or 19 who are also part of the crowd.By about 5pm, the students have got on buses and gone home. Those working in the area suggest this is to ensure they are at home by the time their parents return from work.Another female store worker said: “It’s really got bad in the last six months. I wish their principals and parents could see the way they behave.“There’s been so many fights, it’s getting really bad for business. Every time it’s the same story, by the time the police get here, the fighting has stopped. Police should be at the bus station round-the-clock. We just want it to get better before it gets worse.”Another business owner said the problem would be eliminated if there were more buses transporting students directly from school to home.He said: “There are big crowds of kids on a daily basis. They just hang around looking for trouble. Fights break out all the time.“They just don’t have any respect anymore. I feel bad for the tourists as they just want to catch the bus when all this is going on around them. But there’s no real reason why they are here, they wouldn’t have to come into town if there were more direct buses.”Mr Lister said he did not want to comment on this matter. Bermuda Police Service were unable to provide a comment before we went to press.