Tube chiefs name violent stations

Police are worried by levels of drunkenness over Christmas

Tube chiefs are compiling a "list of shame" to identify the stations with the greatest number of incidents involving drunk and abusive passengers in the run-up to Christmas and the New Year.

A passenger died last year in one of the 406 drink-related incidents across the Tube network in the weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year.

Waterloo heads London Underground's league table of worst stations last year with 29 incidents, followed by Oxford Circus with 26.

The aim is to highlight the dangers of drunken behaviour both for passengers and staff, who are often on the receiving end of violent and abusive behaviour.

The posters will also warn that LU and the British Transport Police (BTP) are targeting such behaviour with more patrols at the stations topping the list.

The move comes days after mainline rail chiefs warned that more staff then ever are being assaulted by commuters - many fuelled by alcohol - venting their anger over

late trains and rising fares. Among the employees most likely to suffer are barrier and ticket staff who risk being spat at, punched and kicked.

The number of physical and verbal assaults on mainline staff is at an all-time high with 3,500 incidents last year - an increase of 18 per cent.

An average of six mainline staff are assaulted every day and this is the worst time of year for the problem. On the Tube, assaults on staff rose to 820 last year, a 50 per cent increase on the previous 12 months.

The Tube's new campaign - entitled "Take a drink, take the Tube, but take care" - warns passengers of the dangers to themselves and the risk of arrest and prosecution.

Mike Brown, LU chief operating officer, said: "We want Londoners and visitors to enjoy the festive season and to take the Tube as the safest and most reliable way to get home.

"We don't want to be killjoys. If you have had a drink it makes sense to take the Tube. However, at this time of the year staff have to deal with the tragic results of accidents more often than usual."

British Transport Police Superintendent Andy Ball said: "Some patrols will concentrate on these West End stations and others on the trains running between them.

"We like to see people enjoying themselves but by the same token, assaults on LU staff increase at this time of the year and a festive drink is not an excuse for such behaviour."

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