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be withdrawn at the next station.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.
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