TRAIN drivers will refuse to travel west of Dumbarton unless action is taken after a rise in violence and threatening behaviour towards staff.

The move – announced by train drivers’ union ASLEF last week – would cause chaos for commuters using services from Glasgow Queen Street to Balloch and Helensburgh Central stations, and is in response to a spate of recent violent attacks on staff.

Unions say drivers and staff had faced threats of violence, spitting and intimidation while operating on local services and said that it seemed to be mainly young people causing the problems.

In a statement confirming drivers were preparing to refuse to work the routes, ASLEF’s Scottish organiser, Kevin Lindsay, said: “The problems have been going on for months and seem to have got worse during the summer holidays, and more police officers and security guards are now being put on services.

“The people of West Dunbartonshire have to step up and take responsibility for this issue or there will be no trains going through the area.”

Mr Lindsay called on the Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf to back measures to combat the problems including increasing the number of staff on board services; increasing the presence of British Transport Police officers on trains and at Helensburgh and Balloch stations; and to support staff who refuse to work west of Dumbarton.

He also called on Mr Yousaf to attend an emergency multi-agency meeting called by Dumbarton and the Vale’s MSP Jackie Baillie which is currently under way in Helensburgh.

Extra British Transport Police officers will be on patrol at stations and on services along the route, and staff will also be making use of body cameras.

Mr Lindsay continued: “There has been a continuous rise in violence and anti-social behaviour against rail staff on trains and at stations on services from Glasgow Queen Street to Helensburgh and Balloch. As a union, we believe it is imperative that the Transport Minister takes urgent action to ensure that passengers and rail staff are safe.”

He continued: “There are real concerns that a member of the public, or a rail worker, is going to get seriously injured or worse. So an urgent response is needed from the minister before a community loses its rail services and, more importantly, a rail worker is seriously hurt or worse.”

In response, Mr Yousaf said: “Anti-social behaviour at rail stations and violence or the threat of violence against those using and working on public transport is wholly unacceptable. Every worker and passenger has the absolute right to go about their business without the fear of verbal or physical assault.

“We work closely with the police, Scotland’s transport providers and the trade unions to raise awareness of this issue, and I have already committed my support in terms of the ‘Violence against Transport Workers’ campaign.”

Ms Baillie said she had been following the issue for months, and had invited representatives from trade unions, Scotrail, British Transport Police, West Dunbartonshire Council and Argyll and Bute Council to attend today's meeting.

Ms Baillie said: “Despite the best efforts of Scotrail and others to tackle the issue, the threats and abuse have continued caused by a small group of young people. I hope this meeting will focus the minds of all the relevant agencies and come up with proposals to end the anti-social behaviour once and for all.”

David Lister, Safety and Sustainability Director at the ScotRail Alliance, said: “The safety and security of our staff and customers is our number one priority.

“Any attacks on staff or customers is wholly unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“People should be able to go about their business without fear of violence.

“We are working closely with the British Transport Police, Police Scotland, local councils and others to tackle this problem.”

A West Dunbartonshire Council spokeswoman said: “We continue to work in partnership with all agencies including Police Scotland and British Transport Police to tackle any anti-social behaviour in the area.”