Chelmsford ninth worst in East Anglia for rail crime (From Chelmsford Weekly News)

Chelmsford ninth worst in East Anglia for rail crime

11:13am Tuesday 7th April 2009 in Local News

CHELMSFORD station was the joint ninth worst for crime in East Anglia last year.

The station, which is one of the busiest commuter stations in the country, saw 11 reported incidents in 2008 including stone throwing, debris on the line and security fencing being cut with wire cutters.

Out of 130 mainline stations within the Great Eastern area, only eight were worse for the amount of crime.

The figures were released this week by Network Rail as part of its new No Messin’ campaign, fronted by boxing champ Amir Khan, to reduce railway crime.

Network Rail reported that the amount of recorded incidents of rail crime fell 13 per cent in 2008.

However, of the ten worst stations for crime in the region, eight of them were in Essex with Pitsea topping the list with 24 recorded incidents and Colchester in second with 21.

The statistics excluded suicide, cable theft and on-train vandalism.

Derek Monnery, chairman of the Essex Rail Users’ Federation, called the figures “appalling”.

He said: “I’m glad they are acting on it and hope it brings success.

“It makes you wonder why it is happening so often in Essex.”

Iain Coucher, Network Rail chief executive said: “We’re seeing some real success in bringing down the levels of railway crime in hotspot areas, but there is much more work to be done to save lives and prevent needless injury.”