Antisocial behaviour on the Rochdale Metrolink line

Over 400 instances of antisocial behaviour were recorded last year on the Rochdale Metrolink line

Over 400 incidents of antisocial behaviour were recorded on the Rochdale Metrolink line last year.

Figures obtained by Rochdale Online show that in 2017/18, 423 incidents were recorded on the Rochdale Metrolink line, the highest since the light-rail service began frequenting the town centre.

In 2012/2013*, just 63 incidents were recorded, jumping to 174 in 2013/14. Incidents continued to rise, almost doubling by 2015/16 with 336 reports, up from the 317 the previous year.

However, in 2016/2017 the figures fell to 287 occurrences of such behaviour on the Rochdale line.

Metrolink began servicing Rochdale railway station in 2013, extending to the town centre a year later.

Since then, more than 500 instances of antisocial behaviour have been reported from the six local stops on the tramline.

Most occurrences of antisocial behaviour were recorded in Rochdale town centre (152), followed by Newbold (130). This dramatically falls by half reported at Kingsway Business Park (65), with low incidents reported at Rochdale railway station (54), Newhey (52) and Milnrow (51).

Due to the way this information is recorded by theoperator, the above figures include antisocial behaviour incidents in its broadest definition, which includes incidents which could be a criminal or bylaw offence, and not just incidents which cause ‘harassment, alarm or distress’.

*Data for 2012/13 is not for a full year