Published date: 21 March 2016 |
Published by: Staff reporterRead more articles by Staff reporterEmail reporter
THE number of violent crimes on Chester-bound trains or at the city’s railway station has steadily risen over the past five years.
Figures released by British Transport Police (BTP) this week under the
Freedom of Information Act show there have been 65 assaults and two sexual assaults since 2010.
This compares to 16 violent offences reported at Wrexham General, 11 at Flint and just one at Ellesmere Port.
In 2010 there were six assaults recorded for Chester, which crept up to eight the following year and 12 in 2012.
In 2013 there were 12 violent offences and a sexual assault, which rose to 13 assaults in 2014, compared to 14 and one sexual assault in 2015.
The statistics mean on average at least one violent crime has been committed every month on the Chester rail network
in the last five years.
in the last five years.
A spokesman for BTP said the figures must be seen in context, as larger stations invariably see more crime and could also be the ‘end of line’ reporting location for crimes.
Proactive police work at the major stations would also contribute to higher numbers of recorded crimes.
police work at the major stations would also contribute to higher numbers of recorded crimes.
He said: “Many of these stations are very busy hubs with huge numbers of people passing through, so numbers of offences are always likely to be higher than at smaller stations.
“Larger, busier stations also have a higher police presence, so more offences are likely to be recorded as a result of police-generated activity.
“Some locations will have specific reasons for the apparent high numbers, and some serve as the ‘end of line’ reporting location for offences which take place on board trains, or on neighbouring services, which contributes to the figures.”
BTP reports nationally there has been a fall in crime on the underground and rail networks in 2014/15, with 46,000 offences recorded across England, Scotland and Wales – the lowest number in a decade.
Yet the figures released under Freedom of Information legislation shows that nationally violent crime has soared from 6,377 in 2010 to 8,164 in 2015, with sexual assaults rising from 544 to 1,179.
The spokesman added: “The public have also never had more ways of reporting crimes to us, since the introduction of our very successful 61016 non-emergency text number.
“In addition, significant work has taken place to encourage reporting of sexual offences on trains and tubes under the successful Report it to Stop it campaign, which has increased peoples’ confidence to report offences to police.
“Everyone has the right to travel on the railway without fear of being a victim of crime, and BTP is completely committed to reducing crime on the railway even further.”
see-http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/159990/rail-related-violent-crimes-at-chester-train-station-is-on-the-rise.aspx
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