A Lib Dem councillor in York says that Network Rail’s inaction on graffiti has seen the problem spread.
Cllr Ashley Mason said graffiti on Network Rail-owned property in York had not been removed quickly enough, which encouraged more vandalism.
He claimed that despite Network Railed being notified in mid-November of graffiti on the railway bridge on St Helens Road, removal of it “will only go ahead as soon as the team have the resources available and the weather is dry.”
“Up until recently, whenever graffiti was reported that was on Network Rail property, it was dealt with quickly and effectively,” Coun Mason said.
“This sent out a clear message to graffiti vandals that damage to public property would not be tolerated, but the message now seems to be that this behaviour is acceptable.
“This approach by Network Rail has had consequences, in that other property in the local area has now been hit by graffiti, such as the bus shelter on Thanet Road and the community noticeboard on Southfield Crescent.”
Coun Mason thanked the City of York Council’s graffiti removal team for acting but said ‘the broken windows theory’ shows visible signs of antisocial behaviour would encourage crime.
“I would urge Network Rail to step up and do their bit to help break this downward spiral of neglect,” he added.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Our teams have cleared previous incidents of graffiti in the area and we are committed to keeping our assets as graffiti-free as we can.
“Our resources have to be prioritised by severity of an incident, and this is measured on a case-by-case basis.
“The recent adverse weather has also hampered efforts to remove graffiti in this area as work can only be carried out effectively in dry conditions.
“Following previous conversations with local councillors, work to clear the graffiti has been planned for when resources are available and weather conditions allow the work to be carried out effectively.”