Great Western Coffee Shop

This irritating and patronising slogan means nothing.

Sunday we were on the very late running 5-car Connect into Paddington well down at 12.45. It was due to depart from Paddington back to Heathrow at 12.40.

We were in the first carriage. Two young dolly females were in the last seat on the left supposedly trying escape the CCTV. They had numerous silver cylinders and balloons and were inhaling 'hippy-crack' for the entire journey.  As they inhaled their language got ever more colourful - f'ing this and f'ing that. Elderly Japanese tourists who go on at Ealing Broadway were visibly shocked.

Just before we got to Paddington on platform 10 they decamped towards the back of the train. However there was a female NR duty officer with an obligatory radio handset and I spoke to her and pointed out the two females. I said that they were inhaling illegal drugs on the train. She hadn't a clue what I was talking about. Basically she shrugged her shoulders to imply it was nothing to do with her.' However as I pointed out the two girls they ran through the gateline and up the ramp towards Praed Street.

So I followed instructions. I saw it. I said it. And NOTHING was done. It was NOT sorted. Par for the course.

See it, say it, sorted is a national security campaign. Not a campaign against anti social behaviour.

However, reporting anti social behaviour should be done straight to the BTP, normally they are pretty good in responding even if it is done by text.  NR staff probably don’t have the power to detain anyone. 

We (regular travellers) see things we feel aren't the norm as we travel and we're asked to report them.  Sometimes we do, and we get frustrated when "nothing" is done. Yet actually something has been done. The situation has been brought to the attention of a professional who has "triaged" it - worked out if a follow up is needed, and will have instigated that follow up if required.   There's a big difference between considering a situation and evaluating that no follow up is requiring and "doing nothing".

To give an idea of the scale of the issue ... do you realise just how often stations and trains would have to be cleared if event piece of left luggage was treated as a potential terrorist device ...

But we're not talking about a piece of left luggage, we're talking about an incident of anti social behaviour and  a mind altering substance being used illegally on public transport, brought to the attention of a member of staff by a customer………..if a Network Rail "professional" decides to "triage" people in this manner with a shrug of the shoulders as not worthy of follow up, then don't be surprised if people don't bother reporting incidents in future.


At the VERY least the customer should have been directed to the BTP with an explanation as to why it's "not my problem" for the NR bod to deal with. What he experienced instead was totally unprofessional.

The anti-social behaviour was probably illegal and its right it was challenged.

The use of nitrous oxide was not a crime in and of itself. They weren't "inhaling illegal drugs" as there is no such offence relating to nitrous oxide.

I must admit I thought that too, but then I read this....
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5039109/Hippy-crack-nitrous-oxide-illegal-drug.html

Mere possession is not an offence. Use for getting high is also not an offence.

Under the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 it is possession with intent to supply that is the only offence. That Daily Mail article is misleading. The supposed quote in the headline does not match the Appeal Court ruling which was dealing with intent to supply for use other than medicinal or in food production/preparation.

Nitrous Oxide is not on the list of drugs covered by The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. A list that is regularly amended.

No other legislation covers the use of nitrous oxide for getting high. Ergo it is not an offence, in and of itself, to either possess (unless intent to supply can be proved) or use it.

That doesn't mean that being under the influence of nitrous oxide, or using it in public, can't be prosecuted. Various legislation, statute and byelaws, can be used to prosecute offences commited whilst under the influence. In the particular case highlighted in the OP, Railway Byelaws 4, 5 and 6. Which cover intoxication, fitness to be on the railway and unacceptable behaviour.

I had to pinch myself when I read that, but I suppose after 126 years of accurate unbiased reporting it was almost inevitable that one day a tiny misrepresentation would slip through the net.

For me, it's a toss-up which I find more shocking - people doing nos on a train, or people referring to women as "young dolly females" in 2018...

At least the dollies weren't dealing.

Forward to 1m 30s

I have to admit that's the bit I found "irritating and patronising".