Antisocial behaviour blitz delivers positive results on Armadale line

12/11/04

A crackdown on antisocial behaviour along the Armadale railway line has already delivered a big increase in the number of infringements and arrests, according to Planning and Infrastructure Minister Alannah MacTiernan.

Three weeks ago, Ms MacTiernan ordered a security blitz following the release of figures showing a higher proportion of offences on the Armadale line.

The blitz included the introduction of a transit guard flying squad, closer liaison with police and a zero tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour.

Since then, the number of incidents resulting in arrest, arrest by police, summons, written caution, or investigation, have more than doubled to 94 - a big increase on the 40 incidents recorded for the preceding three weeks.

Thirty-seven of the incidents related to assault, assault of a Public Officer, disorderly behaviour, offensive behaviour, intimidating behaviour and substance abuse, compared with 15 for the preceding period.

The Minister said since the blitz started, the number of total arrests - including police arrests - had jumped from 11 to 42.

"These offence and arrest rates clearly show that the Armadale line blitz is starting to bite hard," she said.

"We are responding quicker, targeting trouble spots on the line and getting more arrests - the crackdown is clearly working.

"The campaign is sending a clear message to offenders - antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated on our public transport system."

Ms MacTiernan said she expected offence and arrest rates to level out and then drop as the blitz continued.

"Over the full three months of the campaign, we are confident that we will achieve a significant decrease in the level of antisocial behaviour on the Armadale line," she said.

The Minister said the flying squad would then target other lines on Perth's expanding urban passenger rail system.

Transperth records showed that the Armadale line had the highest number of recorded infringements, both in gross volume terms and as a percentage of passenger boardings.

In recent times, more than 32 per cent of the safety/security-related incidents on urban rail occurred on the Armadale line.

"These figures are not good enough - this is why we are initially targeting the Armadale line," Ms MacTiernan said.

"I have been very concerned about the number of people who tell me they are uncomfortable using the trains because of antisocial behaviour.

"The Armadale line blitz is part of the Gallop Government's plan to encourage more people on to public transport by making our trains safer."

The Minister said more initiatives aimed at further increasing passenger safety would be rolled out across the network in the coming weeks.