"Rest of Wales must learn from the North" - Eleanor Burnham

12.58.46pm GMT Tue 21st Mar 2006

Welsh Liberal Democrat AM for North Wales, Eleanor Burnham, is calling on the Welsh Assembly Government to implement a Wales-wide secure station programme, based on one developed by the North Wales transport consortium.

Taith, the joint transport board of local authorities in the north of Wales, has assigned each station in the region to one of four categories. Each category specifies the range of facilities a station should provide - a category one station, for example, will have a heated waiting room, while a category four station will only be expected to have covered waiting accommodation.

Ms Burnham said: "Safety at train stations must be made more of a priority - violence and theft on the railways is on the rise, and concerns over personal safety undoubtedly stop some from using the train. If the Government is serious about getting more people to use public transport then we must make our stations more appealing - particularly at night.

"The authorities in North Wales have developed some excellent criteria for stations and I am confident that this could be developed into a Wales-wide scheme that would encourage all stations to improve security."

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have called repeatedly for a Wales-wide 'Secure Station' scheme. Only two of Wales' 235 stations are currently accredited under the existing Department for Transport scheme, suggesting it has failed to gain the support of train operators.

Notes:

Representatives of Taith are giving evidence at the Assembly's Rail Infrastructure and Improved Passenger Services Committee on Wednesday. In their submission to the Assembly, they outlined their plans for improving station standards, to be implemented 2007-2012. This involved dividing the region's stations into four categories, taking into account a number of factors, including how many 'secure car-park' spaces are available, what waiting accommodation is provided, and whether the station is staffed or un-staffed.

Taith comprises the local authorities of Anglesey, Gwynedd, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham, and is one of four transport consortia in Wales.

Research by Crime Concern suggested measures to improve personal safety (such as the presence of staff, good lighting and CCTV surveillance) at stations would result in 15% more journeys by train.

Welsh Transport Statistics 2004 showed an increase in most forms of railway crime, including violence against the person, criminal damage, theft of passenger property and drug offences.

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