200 services delayed at Wolverhampton station due to boozy behaviour

Brawls and inebriated people falling onto tracks are among incidents that held up services at Wolverhampton station.

More than 200 services were delayed over the last five years due to alcohol-related antics, putting it in the top 10 for disruption.

The figures were released as part of a Network Rail campaign warning people of the dangers of being drunk on train platforms, with figures showing alcohol-related incidents are more common in the run-up to Christmas.

Birmingham New Street topped the list, with 452 alcohol-related delays since 2012/13.

More than 7,400 drunken incidents were reported on the rail network in 2016/17. Of the 7,419, Network Rail said 16 per cent took place between November 24 and January 2, adding to the challenges for rail staff during the busy Christmas period.

The organisation has released a video of drunken people falling on to tracks as part of a warning to passengers to take care.

It said dangers included falls on platforms, ignoring level crossing warnings and violence among passengers.

According to data, violence also increases at railway stations over Christmas.

Figures show a 14 per cent spike in violence reported during the five-week period compared to the same time in 2015/16. One in 10 offences involved alcohol.

Over the last 10 years, 21 people were killed because of alcohol-related incidents at the platform edge and 91 people seriously injured.

Allan Spence, Network Rail’s head of public and passenger safety, said: “Taking a short cut across the tracks, chancing it at level crossings or tripping at the platform edge can, at best cause delays to your journey – at worse it can result in serious harm.

“Enjoy yourself but don’t let alcohol stop you or your fellow passengers from getting to where you need to be – keep a clear head.”