Civic chiefs are set to improve CCTV around the gateway to Weymouth in a bid to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.

It comes as the most recent figures released by police.uk show that anti-social behaviour around Weymouth railway station has spiked by more than 60 per cent between May 2017 when 27 incidents were recorded and May 2018 when 43 incidents were recorded.

Traders and community leaders say that behaviour around the station has long been an issue and have been calling for action to deal with it for several years.

Under the council plans, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council will work with Network Rail, British Transport Police and Dorset Police to review CCTV provision around the station in a bid to deter crime and make the area a more welcoming place. The review will take the form of a business case which is expected to be put before councillors in September along with plans to install CCTV provision on the Rodwell Trail.

Councillor Mike Byatt, community safety portfolio holder at Weymouth and Portland Borough Council, said: “A lot of work is ongoing to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“The council is working with its partners to see if CCTV arrangements can be improved at and around the station area.

“We have also recently introduced new rules to tackle anti-social behaviour and ensure public places can be enjoyed by all.”

A British Transport Police spokesman said: “Anti-social behaviour on the rail network will not be tolerated and we working hard to ensure that railway is a safe and pleasant environment for passengers to travel.

“In the coming weeks and months, officers will continue to work closely with Dorset Police and the local authority to tackle concerns head-on and ensure that anti-social behaviour is deterred.”

A spokeswoman for the BTP Police Federation, added: “The railway environment is not immune to the increases in crime seen across the country in recent years.

“These figures show the importance of regularly reviewing the demands on the force and staffing those demands appropriately.

“Our colleagues are committed and dedicated railway specialists and we would like to see more being done to retain that experience.”