LONDON Underground has quashed hopes that new police powers to tackle anti-social behaviour could be used on Redbridge stations.

Police officers and police community support officers have had the power to order groups of people to disperse since last year's Anti-Social Behaviour Act came into force.

Designed to tackle gangs of youths, the powers have been brought into force on the District line stations of Elm Park, Hornchurch, Upminster, Upminster Bridge, Dagenham East, Dagenham Heathway, Becontree, Upney and Barking stations.

At a meeting of Redbridge Council's transport liaison committee, however, London Underground ruled out the extension of the powers to the borough.

London Underground crime and disorder manager Raymond Davies said: "It is not suitable to be imposed on any station in Redbridge because they don't have anywhere near the level of anti-social behaviour.

"Most of the stations mentioned are ones that have significant problems with staff being assaulted, intimidated and harassed by groups of up to 20 young people taking over the station, and this is something we cannot allow to happen."

Mr Davies pointed out that Redbridge now had two British Transport Police officers dedicated to patrolling the borough's stations but complained that they were not being deployed as effectively as they could be and were still being used for other duties.

He said: "It's meant to be intelligence driven but they send an officer to a station at 10am. Well, there is no anti-social behaviour at 10am."