Gangs of youths will be deterred from brawling and daubing graffiti along the seafront if ticket barriers are installed at Herne Bay and Whitstable railway stations, councillors believe.

Representatives are calling for the upgrades in the hope they will lower the number of freeloading troublemakers visiting the towns.

Reculver councillor Rachel Carnac, who is campaigning for the changes, thinks mischievous youths travel to Herne Bay as it is common knowledge its railway station is not equipped with barriers.

“I’m sure that’s widely known, so if you are looking to cause some mischief in the summer months there isn’t much of a deterrent,” she explained.

“We get anti-social behaviour on the seafront, like graffiti, brawling and drinking on the beach.

“And there is a view that if you have an open station then it is encouraging people to come along who don’t have tickets because they know they can get off there and do whatever they like.”

Cllr Carnac presented a motion to full council members on Thursday urging Canterbury City Council to lobby rail bosses to carry out the work - which was voted through.

And the Conservative says that some of her council colleagues have also discussed the plans with the police.

“People should be paying when they’re travelling by train and we shouldn’t be encouraging people to travel without tickets,” she added.

“This is just one element that hopefully might act as a deterrent to anyone thinking, ‘We can just go to Herne Bay and nobody’s going to monitor us’.”

Seasalter councillor Ashley Clark has thrown his weight behind the motion.

The former policeman says the installation of the barriers could lead to drunken gangs deciding to avoid Whitstable and Herne Bay.

"There is a view that if you have an open station then it is encouraging people to come along who don’t have tickets because they know they can get off there and do whatever they like..."

“Anything that is likely to make it more difficult for people to act in an anti-social manner has got to be welcome,” he said.

“I am aware that, particularly in the summer, we do get gangs that would come down, go to the beach and make a nuisance – and they will come down on the train.

“If you have railway stations that are wide open for people to walk in and out, that’s not a good situation.”

Cllr Carnac’s motion is also calling on East Kent district councils and Kent County Councils to lobby for funding to build a new access at Canterbury West Station from Roper Road.

However, a spokesman for Southeastern Railway said: “The historic design of our stations at Herne Bay and Whitstable, which have multiple entrances and exits, means that installing ticket barriers would be complex and expensive [and] include the necessary commitment to additional staff to be present at the barriers.

“Nonetheless, we take the safety and security of our passengers and staff on our stations very seriously indeed, and we we’re always open to working with our partners in local authorities to make improvements."

Read more: All the latest from Herne Bay

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