Christmas is a time of celebration. Unfortunately, as the run-up to and through the festive season passes, many front-line staff at stations and on trains receive abuse from passengers who have overindulged following a night out on the town.

In recent years, December has seen a sharp rise in abusive behaviour towards staff across the national rail network.

With this spike in such anti-social behaviour, ScotRail is reminding passengers to be courteous and respectful towards its staff.

Many of its members on the platforms and on trains now wear body-worn cameras, following a £1.6 million investment to triple the number of such cameras across its rail network. These devices can capture incidents quickly in High Definition and enable a fast dispatch of a response team if needed.

ScotRail’s network also has one of the highest numbers of CCTV cameras across the UK, covering a total of 360 stations.

8,000 cameras are monitoring and recording across the region, with some of the cameras able to capture real-time movements and track an individual using intelligent video analytics. This can assist in the capturing of a specific person(s), while the footage can also be used in investigations.

ScotRail is also reminding passengers that it has its own ‘Travel Safe Team’ which regularly travels on trains and is visible at Scotland’s busiest stations. This specialist team, comprised of 36 members, support staff and passengers, has a close working connection with the British Transport Police (BTP).

In addition to this, the national ‘Respect our Workers Campaign’ is supported by many unions and operating bodies, including the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland. Collectively, all these organisations work together to protect and support staff in situations when they are faced with anti-social behaviour.

“Staff across Scotland’s Railway are working hard this festive season to provide extra services and later trains, helping everyone get home safely while supporting the night-time economy.

I welcome this campaign from many partners that is calling for rail users to respect those who keep our network moving. Abuse or violence towards rail staff or fellow passengers is never acceptable and will not be tolerated.

Enjoy all the festive season has to offer but plan your journey home using public transport where possible. If you see anything concerning, report it to British Transport Police by texting 61016.”

Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport

Christmas and New Year is one of our busiest periods, and our colleagues work incredibly hard to support customers travelling to shops, events, and to visit friends and family.

The vast majority of our customers behave responsibly, but any form of abuse towards our colleagues is completely unacceptable.

With increased availability of body-worn cameras, and increased numbers of staff working across our railway over the festive period, we’re giving staff even greater confidence that they have the tools and support they need, while also reinforcing our zero-tolerance approach to antisocial behaviour.

Working closely with British Transport Police, we will continue to do everything we can to ensure Scotland’s Railway is a safe and welcoming place for everyone.”

Joanne Maguire, ScotRail Managing Director