No arrests on the first night of rail drink ban

NO ARRESTS were made by police on the first night of ScotRail’s alcohol ban on trains, with rail chiefs praising passengers’ response to the first clampdown of its kind in the UK. However, two men were turned away from trains at Glasgow Central station on Friday night for being “unfit for travel” under existing railway byelaws.

ScotRail, which runs 95 per cent of Scotland’s trains, barred passengers drinking or visibly carrying alcohol between 9pm and 10am on all services, apart from the Caledonian Sleepers, from Friday night.

The train operator said yesterday there were no arrests linked to railway bylaws on intoxication or the possession of alcohol after the ban came into force.

Managing director Steve Montgomery said: “The 
introduction went well, and I thank customers for their support in sending out a clear message that anti-
social behaviour on trains and at stations is unacceptable.”

It is understood two arrests made across the network last night were not linked to the drinking ban.

ScotRail said the ban was in response to concerns from passengers about anti-social behaviour on trains.

British Transport Police has had to respond to hundreds of drink-related incidents in the last year, with an increasing number of trains delayed due to anti-social behaviour.

ScotRail is taking a “softly softly” approach in the first fortnight, phasing in the new rules to give people time to get used to them.