PARENTS of pupils at a school linked this week with rail vandalism

have been ''riding shotgun'' on trains for about two years to protect

passengers from unruly youngsters, it emerged yesterday.

A spokeswoman for Strathclyde region's education department confirmed

that parents of pupils at Eastwood High School in Newton Mearns had been

acting as unofficial escorts on trains between Neilston and Patterton.

The measure was agreed after meetings involving school officials,

British Transport Police, and a parents' representative group. It

followed complaints by passengers about the behaviour of some pupils

using the service.

The region spokeswoman said the behaviour of pupils using the trains

appeared to have improve since the action was taken. However, she said

the latest incident had proved a setback. A 14-year-old boy has been

reported to the procurator-fiscal and the Reporter to the Children's

Panel after a train was vandalised and #4000 damage caused.

Thirteen windows were smashed on the 8.27am Neilston to Glasgow train

between Neilston and Patterton on Thursday. The emergency cupboard was

also broken into.

Transport police officers questioned pupils at Eastwood High and the

school conducted its own inquiry. Mr David Carmichael, the school's

depute rector, has said the youth involved would face disciplinary

action should his guilt be established. This would involve suspension

and potential expulsion.

Mr Carmichael had earlier been quoted as saying this was the first

time there had been any trouble involving pupils on this train.

Mrs Annette Thomson, from Crookfur, Newton Mearns, said yesterday she

had stopped travelling on the morning train between Patterton and

Glasgow because of delays, many of which she claimed related to the bad

behaviour of pupils.

Mrs Thomson, 32, a quality co-ordinator with Strathclyde region, said:

''I used the service for a year but gave up eight weeks ago. Quite often

the train would be stopped before it entered the station because of

pupils trying to open the doors.

''In one incident, one of the doors was kicked in causing the train to

be withdrawn at the next station. The delays caused me to be late for

work on a number of occasions.''

She said she complained several times to Eastwood High School and was

told action had been taken against certain offenders. However, the

trouble persisted. Mrs Thomson said passengers using the train were

frightened to say anything to the pupils, who are also claimed to have

pulled the communication chord without reason on occasions.

A ScotRail spokeswoman said the problem of boisterous behaviour on

trains used by large numbers of schoolchildren was prevalent throughout

Scotland.

She said problem services always had at least one conductor. British

Transport Police also patrolled the trains regularly and some trains had

surveillance cameras.

She said troublemakers accounted for a small percentage of pupils who

used the trains. ScotRail would not consider withdrawing such services

because it would be acting ''in response to the minority at the expense

of the majority''.

The spokeswoman also pointed out that the service between Neilston and

Patterton was likely to be used by pupils from schools other than

Eastwood High.

Chief Inspector John Donoghue, officer in charge of British Transport

Police in Glasgow, said moves would be stepped up to combat vandalism.

This would include an increase in education and more surveillance

operations involving plain-clothes officers.

He said: ''This problem is very upsetting for the community but the

police alone can't solve the problem. If it is be solved without

recourse to court action, we need to strengthen the partnership between

police and the community and develop a more responsible attitude among

young people.''

The region spokeswoman added that monitoring train services used by

Eastwood High pupils would continue. The pupils had been warned by the

school rector of the implications of becoming involved in unruly

behaviour on the route.