Students loitering around the Hamilton bus station will now face $170 fines.

The Public Transportation Board, Corporation of Hamilton and Bermuda Police Service announced yesterday that new signs at the bus terminal will give transportation officials and Police the power to move anyone hanging out at the facility.

The new signs officially designate the central station as a ?no loitering? zone.

It is hoped that the signs will curb disorderly and undesirable behaviour, Police said. In the past year there have been a number of fights when large groups of students are in the area. The Police also said there had been sexual activity in the area.

Chief Insp. Michael DeSilva said the Police will regularly patrol the area, but that the signs would also give transport officials the right to tell youths to board a bus or leave.

Sgt.Stephen Gunn said the Police would be able to issue fines of $170 to anyone found loitering.

He also stressed that there was no need for many of the students to even be in Hamilton after school. Despite what some students may tell their parents CedarBridge Academy has buses that go to the east and west ends so there is no need to go to Hamilton to transfer to another bus.

Berkeley Institute also has later classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, which means there should be less students at the station at one time.

Recently CedarBridge students have been waiting for Berkeley students to finish school. This has caused a lot of congestion at the terminal and irritation for people leaving work and trying to board a bus.

The signs are attempting to stop this trend and restore order before the new bus terminal opens in January.