Safety complaints regarding trains between York and Scarborough

Students and lawmakers from Scarborough and Whitby have highlighted passenger safety concerns regarding late services between York and Scarborough, with some saying there is a lack of security.

On Tuesday (April 1), York's elected mayor and North Yorkshire mayor David Skys held an event with students from Scarborough UTC's sixth form to gain control of the North Yorkshire bus.

Total authorities recently developed an approved plan aimed at integrating the local transportation system.

Students in the sixth form shared concerns about the safety of traveling by train, especially for women and girls, saying that the train “feels less safe than a bus.”

One student said, “There are a lot of people in York who got drunk from the Scarborough trains, especially during the race.”

Another student added:

Alison Hume, an MP for Scarborough and Whitby, said Transpennine Express, which runs an hourly service between York and Scarborough, “should do more.”

Many complained that buses are often late and lack of reliable regular public transport discouraged them from staying in the area.

Skyes said getting better service early in the evening is “a really big part and focus of what we've seen.”

He added: “When people are leaving their jobs at 10pm or 11pm, they make sure that public transport is for them, because if it's not, if it's not, people can feel very isolated and can be a pretty scary place if they finish work in the middle of the night and don't have public transport.”

Also attending the event was Mr. Hume. He said he was unhappy with the current situation where drunk passengers, normally male, are allowed to board trains from York to Scarborough on 22.24 and 23.05, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays.

“In my view, a single conductor cannot control the safety of train passengers,” Hume told the local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

“The advice given to passengers is to call the transport police if an incident occurs, but I think TPE should do more.

“I raised the issue of women's safety on my last train in January using TPE both in writing and in person, but I haven't received a reply yet.”

Transpennine Express is contacting us about comments made by LDRS.