GLASGOW politicians have called for urgent action after Central Station was named "the most dangerous train station" in Scotland, the Scottish Daily Express reports. 

Statistics from the British Transport Police show that 181 crimes were reported in or near the city centre station in 2021, up to November. 

This was more than three times the amount recorded at Glasgow Queen Street which had 55 incidents in the same period of time. 

It comes after a number of major incidents were reported at the station over recent months. 

In December a fight resulted in a man being seriously injured with a suspect arrested for attempted murder. 

Another man was rushed to hospital after an incident outside the station in October. 

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Politicians have now called for urgent action to reduce crime in the area. 

Labour MSP Paul Sweeney told the Scottish Daily Express: "These figures will be incredibly concerning to the people of Glasgow, particularly when compared to other stations of similar size and prominence such as Edinburgh Waverley.

"It’s also particularly worrying that such a high number of offences took place at a time where most people were working from home and the nighttime economy was closed."

He added: "With the vast amount of police resources that occupy the station, I would suggest that in the short term, some are redeployed to the surrounding areas to deter criminal offences.

"We do also need to look at longer-term solutions.

"The city centre of Glasgow has become run down and I fear that may, in part, be a driving factor in all of this.

"We need the establishment of a City Centre Taskforce immediately to address the reasons for the decline across the City Centre and I would expect this issue to be looked at by the Taskforce as a matter of priority."

Thomas Kerr, leader of the Glasgow City Council Conservatives group also told the Scottish Daily Express: "The station is one of our city’s most well-known locations and is crucial for the local economy.

"Passengers, workers and those shopping and supporting hospitality premises in and around Glasgow Central must feel safe at all times.

"Sadly this is an area of Glasgow that needs much more than a spruce up infamously suggested by SNP Council leader Susan Aitken."

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The BTP statistics show that 66 of the reported incidents involved violence or sexual offences. 

A further 24 were for drug possession, 17 for weapons possession, 15 for shoplifting, 14 for criminal damage or arson, eight for bicycles theft and two for robbery. 

Glasgow Central is the busiest train station in Scotland with 5.3million passengers using the station in 2021 up to November.