 A YOB-PLAGUED train station in Liverpool was today revealed as the most dangerous in the country. A damning new report by Network Rail reveals 33 brick and rock attacks on passenger trains travelling into Edge Hill station in the last year. The figure is the highest in England and rail bosses fear somebody will be killed unless the attacks stop. The statistics for Edge Hill station also show that in the past 12 months: * A total of 78 "route crimes" were reported -trespassing, vandalism and throwing objects on the track or at trains. * The alarm has been raised 17 times when metal bars and rocks have been thrown on the tracks. Officials say the mindless act could cause a train to derail. * On 16 occasions police were called after children were seen playing on the tracks. Edge Hill has the biggest overall problem not only in the region but also the rest of England. But there are specific problems at other Merseyside stations. At Huyton there have been 31 incidents in the past year when youngsters have been spotted running across the lines. That is the highest in the north west. Robin Sisson, deputy secretary of the Rail Passenger Committee in the north west, said: "There is a lot of concern that the British Transport Police is insufficiently resourced to counter this problem. "It is a question of bearing down on those who do this type of thing while at the same time putting pressure on the government to ensure the British Transport Police are given the necessary resources to tackle the problem." Last autumn eight-year-old Stephen Nesbitt was killed after stepping onto lives lines at Boot-le's Oriel Road station. His father, also called Stephen Nesbitt, backed a Network Rail and British Transport Police campaign to stop youngsters going onto rail lines and said: "I just hope children learn from the tragic death of my son." A Network Rail spokesman said: "Ourselves and British Transport Police work with children to show how dangerous train tracks can be and get their parents involved. "They have a big responsibility in tackling this problem. "The police will arrest anyone who throws objects at trains and we need to get the message across just how dangerous that can be. Somebody could be killed." The British Transport Police hotline is 0800 405040 or people can use Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. | 
News RSS Feed