Petty vandalism holds up trains, say rail bosses

3:19pm Thursday 19th April 2001

TRAIN bosses say they are educating young people about the problems to public transport services caused by petty vandalism.

Officials from Thames Trains were speaking at the annual general meeting of the Marlow and Maidenhead Passengers Association. They said trains were being held up by the amount of vandalism which is occurring, particularly on Saturday nights and on after-school journeys.

At the meeting, at Bourne End Community Centre, the company said there was no complete solution to the problem but they are doing their best to educate young people on the danger it causes and the delays it creates if they have to take the trains out of service.

Other items that were discussed at the meeting included the long term plans to change the now defunct Bourne End to Wycombe train line into a cycle and bus route.

Nigel Hunt, chairman of the passenger association, said: "They have tried to protect the track bed from development so they can make it into a bus and cycle route, not for its whole length, more for leisure activity at the Bourne End end.

"Because of the amount of traffic problems in Wycombe they are looking at various ways to see what could be done at the Wycombe end. They need to try and improve access to Wycombe Railway Station.

"It is really up to Wycombe District Council to come up with a solution that serves Wycombe better. It would be nice to have the rail link built up because that would serve a greater public need."

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