Police crackdown on anti-social behaviour on trains

The level of onboard offending is said to have increased during the summer

Sussex Police have staged another day of action in their continued crackdown on anti-social behaviour on the railway.

Officers were at Littlehampton and Worthing stations on Monday to talk to passengers about problems on the trains.

The move is part of Operation Parkside, a multi-agency response involving British Transport Police (BTP), to tackle and prevent crime across the Southern Rail network.

Ch Insp Sarah Leadbetter described it as part of a "robust response" to the level of onboard offending, which had increased during the summer.

Commuters spoke to BBC Radio Sussex about their experiences on the railway network.

One commuter at Worthing station said "drinking, vape smoking, fighting and fare evasion" were issues among some gangs of teenagers.

Another added that he had been left feeling unsafe and "looking over my shoulder a bit" whilst travelling after dark.

At Littlehampton, a female commuter said things had become "a bit crazy" on some journeys, adding that more train staff or a greater police presence would help tackle the problem.

'Engaging with the local community'

Ch Insp Leadbetter agreed the situation was "intimidating" for passengers and that by "engaging with the local community" the force could address the issues.

"We've been working our way through various stations on the network gathering feedback from the community - including young people themselves - about their concerns," she said.

"Officers were previously at Barnham and Chichester at the end of September and have already seen an improvement in those areas.

"We do have a robust response to violence and criminal activity and we will do everything in our power to ensure we reduce that offending."