Peril on the trains !

The letters columns of daily newspapers are full of complaints from passengers who have had unfortunate experiences while travelling on our trains.

Many women simply refuse to use trains after dark for fear of rape - and even well built men blanch at the prospect of being assaulted by the vicious thugs who infest the rail network.

The government says it is doing it's best to provide safety. It maintains squads of security guards who patrol trains to a random schedule. Money has been spent on huge numbers of CCTV cameras installed in all carriages and covering stations and their approaches.

None of this deters gangs of drunken youths who travel in a pack, drinking alcohol and smoking in carriages, harassing other passengers and in many cases deliberately creating havoc by damaging the fittings.

Security guards work in pairs. Who could blame them when they see on CCTV such a pack further along the train if they turn and go the other way ?

The problem will not be solved until the government gets serious and takes decisive action. What is happening on trains can be viewed at the CCTV centre - and from there instructions should be forwarded to a flying squad of police to board the train and arrest the offenders. The evidence is there - recorded on CCTV film.

That will be useless - unless the court system is also revised to hand out punishment - instead of a joke ! How many times do we read in the papers of seventeen year olds - before the court for a rap sheet yards long - awarded another bond, a warning or a small fine - which is never paid ?

Despite the bleats of the civil liberty people - these so called " youths " are grown men capable of vicious crimes. They will continue to plague society until society hits back and delivers a degree of punishment which instills fear.

They will continue to offend just so long as they know they can get away with it. Take that comfort away - and the problem will diminish - but not disappear.

Unfortunately there are some who suffer from a mental illness - and nothing we can do will stop the actions of the deranged - except confinement to a mental institution !