Media centre

Tuesday 7 Dec 2004

MEDIA INVITATION: LOCAL MP SUPPORTS RAILWAY CRIME CRACKDOWN IN GREENOCK

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Date:                           12pm, Friday 10 December 2004 Location:                    Greenock Central Station, Station Avenue, Greenock PA15 1DH Event:                         Visit by David Cairns MP to Greenock Central Station Media contact:          0141 555 4109            David Cairns, MP for Greenock and Inverclyde, is set to hear first-hand the latest figures on the number and types of offences carried out on the railway line in his constituency. He is visiting Greenock Central Station to lend his support to ‘Safer Scotland’, a campaign supported by Network Rail, the British Transport Police and other industry partners, to reduce criminal activity on the railway line.  Mr Cairns will be joined by Raymond Johnstone, Area General Manager for the west of Scotland at Network Rail, Alex McGuire, Chief Inspector, of British Transport Police as well as other officers from the force. Greenock and the surrounding area has been highlighted as a part of Scotland where repeated acts of trespass and vandalism on the railway occur, as well as anti-social behaviour away from the railway. David Cairns will tour the station and examine the CCTV cameras and associated help points, which were installed to help combat the problem of anti-social behaviour in and around the station.  He will also visit areas where repeated incidents of railway crime have been committed in the area. David Cairns said:  “It’s absolutely essential that we crackdown on this type of behaviour and although there is a downward trend in railway trespass and vandalism in Scotland in general, there are still persistent offenders.  We all have a responsibility in getting this serious message across, to parents, teachers and community workers.  “We need to keep people, particularly children and young people off the line and this ongoing campaign will help raise awareness, especially to parents, of the dangers and consequences that can result.” ‘Safer Scotland’ is a multi-agency campaign involving all Scottish Police Forces, including the British Transport Police, private industry and local authorities. The current campaign aims to tackle vandalism, low level disorder and knife crime throughout Scotland.   In particular the British Transport Police are focusing on vandalism and low-level disorder within the railway network in Scotland. As well as serious risks to lives, crime on the railway costs in excel of £10 million in Scotland, causing approximately 100,000 minutes delay to passengers every year.  Trespass on the railway is a crime and carries a fine of up to £1,000.