ALTON Station has been awarded Secure Station status by the British Transport Police and the Department of Transport, after improving security and safety measures.

The presentation was made on Monday to station manager Tony King by Alton MP Michael Mates and crime reduction officer for British Transport Police, Stuart Wilde.

Improvements to the security of the ticket office and upgraded levels of lighting have won the station a place alongside just 100 other stations in the UK.

The Secure Stations scheme was launched in 1998 to encourage stations to improve security for both passengers and staff.

The assessment is split into four stages. Firstly, crime figures at the station are assessed, and to qualify for the next stage, stations cannot experience any more than one crime per 20,000 passengers.

A physical inspection is then carried out, to see where improvements can be made. The running of the station is then assessed, and documentary evidence is required for any claims made. Finally, a survey of passengers is carried out as regards the fear of crime at the station.

Stuart Wilde said, "Lighting levels were improved and one-way reflective strips were put on the ticket office windows, so that the transfer of cash is not visible from the outside."

Mr Mates said, "The Secure Stations award is one way of assuring staff and train passengers that their safety and security are top priorities. The scheme demands high standards and I would like to congratulate the staff at Alton station for all their hard work to achieve the award.

South West Trains' security and investment manager Malcolm Page, said: "We take security and safety on our network very seriously and hope the scheme not only improves the travelling environment for our passengers but also the working environment for our staff".

To date, South West Trains and Railtrack have invested around £4 million installing a combination of help points and CCTV cameras around the network.

The improvements, along with the introduction of ticket barriers and mobile security guards, have helped to reduce crime on the South West Trains' network by nearly 50 per cent since 1996, according to British Transport Police.

Pc Wilde said, "After our assessment, we thought that the installation of CCTV at Alton could have a negative effect on crime fear. Alton is a small, quiet station, and if cameras suddenly sprang up overnight, it could make passengers think that there is a problem when there isn't."

The validity of the award has been thrown into some doubt however, as carriages belonging to the Mid Hants Railway left on platform three were vandalised the night before the presentation.Five carriages were covered in graffiti, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

The carriages had been left at the station overnight, ready for the morning's services, and the damage was discovered at around 5-30 am.

David Snow, chairman of the Mid Hants Railway plc, said: "We don't know for sure where the vandals got in to the station, but it is easily accessible from a number of directions at all times of the day or night. It looks as though it was done by more than one person, and we will offer a £2,000 reward for information leading to a conviction.

"It seems ironic that the station is getting this award when things like this are happening. This is the third attack we have suffered in about a year, and it is proving very costly.

"While South West Trains are in no way responsible for platform three at Alton Station, it is just ironic that it is being called a 'secure' station when something like this happens."

Keith Hawkins, a spokesman for South West Trains, said: "It is very sad when any act of vandalism takes place. The area in question is out of the control of South West Trains, but this doesn't make matters any easier for the Mid Hants Railway."

Mr Snow continued: "The land belongs to Railtrack, and we use it on a non-repairing lease, meaning that all maintenance and upkeep is up to us. They are just being your typical landlord; they are only interested in the huge revenue we pay them, that has risen substantially since the services began.

"We are now going to have to think seriously about putting in some security measures of our own.

"The carriages have to be cleaned by the end of the week for a steam enthusiast's event we have coming up tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday. The attack has left us out of pocket, but our services will not be affected in any way."

Watercress Line carriage fitter Jim Lawrence, said: "These were some of our frontline coaches. It gets a bit weary when it is the third time it has happened in a year."