PUBLIC disorder, violent crime and drug offences all increased on trains and railway stations in Wales and the Western Area during 2009-10, figures released by British Transport Police (BTP) today show.

Public disorder was up 23.7 per cent from 814 offences in 2008/09 to 1,007 offences in 2009/10.

Drug offences were up 26.1 per cent from 628 in 2008/09 to 792 in 2009/10.

Violent crime rose by 2.3 per cent to 808 instances in 2009/10.

But overall crime levels on the railway in Wales and the West fell by by two per cent in 2009/10 – the sixth consecutive year they have done so.

Robberies, fraud, theft of railway property, criminal damage, sex offences, motor vehicle crime and line of route offences, which include obstructing trains and endangering safety, were all down on last year.

Chief Inspector Paul Richards, BTP sector commander for South West England, said he was pleased to that the number of robberies was down.

“A dedicated crime team, based in Bristol, has been set up to deal with the more serious crimes such as robbery and fraud and this emphasises how seriously we take this issue,” he said.