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Friday 15 Jun 2012

Rail litter crack down in Spalding

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Network Rail and the British Transport Police are launching a crackdown on graffiti and rubbish dumpers at a railway footbridge in Spalding.

Despite a recent clean-up at Stepping Stones bridge, including repainting and the removal of a skip full of waste, Network Rail is worried that the problem will continue unless direct action is taken.

Vicki Beadle, community safety manager for Network Rail, said: “People are using the railway as a dumping ground, which not only causes serious safety issues, but also costs thousands of pounds to tackle, money better spent on improving the railway.”

Now the company is working with the British Transport Police to look at ways of tackling rubbish and graffiti, whilst also calling for the installation of more public bins in the area.

“If there is no nearby alternative, people dump their rubbish on our land, which costs money to remove and in some cases, can be used by vandals to damage our infrastructure,” added Mrs Beadle.

British Transport Police spokesman added: “Writing graffiti on the railway or fly tipping on railway property is not a harmless pastime - it is nothing more than criminal damage, costing thousands of pounds to clean up and is something we take extremely seriously, actively seeking to catch and prosecute those who commit such crimes.”