Train stations to play classical music to scare yobs away after successful trial

28 April 2023 , 18:43

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Train bosses are resorting to playing classical music in a bid to stop vandals and yobs hanging around stations (Image: hull daily mail)

Train stations trying to get a Handel on anti-social behaviour have vowed to start playing classical music in a bid to deter yobs.

Operator Northern says it will start playing blasts of music by composers such as Bach, Mozart and Beethoven across various problem train stations to keep youths away from the tracks.

It comes after rising concerns young people causing havoc at smaller commuter stations, potentially causing hazards on the line putting people at risk and impacting journeys.

A group of "reckless" teens were seen throwing a bike onto the tracks at a small train station near Leeds in August last year, Northern bosses said.

Another dangerous incident saw youths block the line at Cottingham, near Hull, recently, delaying a London-bound train for 90 minutes.

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Youths were seen throwing a bike onto a rail line near Leeds in one 'reckless' incident (Network Rail / SWNS)

The company says 23 stations across its network in northern England will now start playing the likes of Tchaikovsky and Schubert, after a successful pilot which saw a dramatic reduction of anti-social behaviour.

Mark Powles, customer and commercial director, at Northern, said: "Anti-social behaviour is a nuisance in its lightest form and nothing short of a criminal act at its worst.

"Unfortunately, railway stations, like many other public areas, can attract this sort of mindless behaviour – which is unfair and unsettling to our customers.

"The classical music trials proved very interesting – and the results speak for themselves.

Northern bosses said a trial of playing classical music saw a huge drop in the numbers of anti-social behaviour (Manchester Evening News)

"We’ll now begin work on a roll-out programme across 23 targeted stations to spread that success far and wide."

Music will only be played at certain times of the day, which will vary from station to station to have the best impact on behaviour.

The 23 stations involved in the scheme are:

• Beverley
• Birchwood
• Brinnington
• Bryn
• Cottingham
• Cross Gates
• Fitzwilliam
• Flimby
• Halewood
• Haltwhistle
• Hattersley
• Levenshulme
• Lostock Gralam
• Maryport
• Mill Hill
• Newton for Hyde
• Penistone
• Rainhill
• Sowerby Bridge
• Sunderland
• Ulverston
• Wetheral
• Whiston

Classical music has been used by other companies previously to ward off trouble-makers loitering in public spaces.

It followed controversial use of mosquito alarms - a high frequency sound only audible to young people - which, while still legal, were axed by multiple councils across the country following backlash from human rights campaigners.

Susie Beever