Crimes at West Dunbartonshire train stations spike, as ticket offices face closure

dailyrecord.co.uk:

The number of crimes reported at West Dunbartonshire train stations have rocketed by almost 50 percent – with fears plans to slash ticket office hours will pose further safety issues.Across the area 92 offences were reported to British Transport Police (BTP) in the year up to November 2021, with criminal damage and fire-raising, violent or sexual offences and thefts all common.While the number of passengers dropped dramatically during the pandemic, the number of crimes increased from 62 in November 2019 to 92.Balloch was the second worst hit station in the local authority area, behind Dalmuir, recording seven counts of violent and sexual offences, three of criminal damage/fire-raising, two for drugs, one for theft and one for other crime.There was almost one crime a week within the Dumbarton constituency, with almost 50 offences committed at or close to train stations.The statistics show the number of crimes reported increased by a third since 2019 – with MSP Jackie Baillie claiming they reaffirm why ScotRail proposals to cut ticket office opening hours, reported by the Lennox last week, have to be shelved.If agreed, opening times at Alexandria, Balloch, Cardross, Dumbarton Central, Dalreoch and Helensburgh Central will be reduced.The plans, which are under public consultation, include changes to opening times at Alexandria which would operate between 9.15am and 2.45pm on a Saturday as opposed to the current times of 6.30am until 11.30pm.Dumbarton Central’s office, which is open until midnight Monday to Saturday, would shut at 8pm, while on Sundays it would close at 4pm instead of the current 11.10pm.A BTP spokesperson told the Lennox Herald that the railway network in West Dunbartonshire is “still a very safe place to