Dorset's railways are in danger of becoming “a playground for thugs, thieves and drunks”, a rail workers’ union has warned.

It comes after figures released by the British Transport Police show that violent crime is becoming a common problem on west Dorset’s railways with six stations in the region suffering from incidents of violent crime including Wareham, Wool, Dorchester South and West as well as Weymouth in 2017/18,

Figures showed that there were 11 incidents of violent crime in west Dorset in 2017/18, of which four were at Weymouth railway station and four at Dorchester South and West.

This is in comparison to 13 in 2016/17 where only two stations, Dorchester South and Weymouth suffered from violent crime. Meanwhile, 42 total crimes took place on railway stations in the Dorset Echo’s coverage area in 2017/18 which include Wareham, Wool, Moreton, Upwey, Maiden Newton and Dorchester South and West. This is an increase from 39 in 2016/17.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers’ (RMT) union, which is in has a long-running dispute with operator South Western Railway over the future of guards on trains and has staged a series of walk-outs, said the figures were “shocking”.

General Secretary Mick Cash said: “If anyone wants to know why RMT is campaigning to keep the guard on South Western Railway services they only have to look at these latest crime statistics from west Dorset.

“The fact is that if you axe station and on-board staff you give the green light to thugs, thieves and drunks to turn our railways into a criminals paradise with law-abiding passengers left to fend for themselves.

“SWR should lift the threat to axe the guard from their trains and should be working with the union to deliver safe and accessible rail services for all.”

Melcombe Regis councillor Tia Roos, said: “The figures show that the British Transport Police are not doing enough.”

“They need to step up and take a role in this, we need to make sure that everyone feels safe.”

It comes after Home Secretary Sajid Javid vowed to prioritise police spending as he offered an olive branch to rank-and-file officers following years of sniping over budget cuts and staffing reductions.

Addressing the annual conference of the Police Federation of England and Wales, Mr Javid struck a softer tone than his two predecessors, pledging to provide “tools, the powers and the back-up that you need to get the job done”.

In response, a British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: “We remain committed to driving violence and intimidating behaviour from the railway, which is reflected in the fact there has been a decrease in violent crime in West Dorset over the past year, bucking the national trend.

“While we will never be satisfied with any level of offending, it is worth noting that crime on the railway in West Dorset remains very low, with just 42 offences recorded throughout 2017/18.

“However, we know the perception doesn’t always match reality and we work tirelessly to make sure that people are not only safe, but feel safe and secure too.

“We regularly run highly visible patrols both on trains and at stations to help passengers feel reassured as they travel. Likewise, we police a CCTV-rich environment, which we use to help deter crime but also catch offenders.

“The safety of the travelling public and rail staff across the county remains our absolute priority. Should someone become a victim of crime, our primary concern is to make sure they are fully supported in the service provided to them, and their welfare is at the heart of everything we do.

“We remain committed to providing a safe environment for all passengers and those that work in the rail industry.

“Of course, the public can play their part and help us to tackle these issues by reporting incidents to BTP discreetly by texting 61016.”