As authorities and operators, the highest possible level of safety at railway stations and in public spaces in general is a major issue. It has been proven that cleanliness promotes a sense of security among all users. It has also been proven that clean areas are better protected against graffiti, vandalism and wilful soiling.
You are probably familiar with this from your daily work: clean or even completely new façades are covered in graffiti overnight and then remain in this state – sometimes even forever.
This is annoying – not only for you, but also for your customers. However, there are not only visual reasons why you should react as quickly as possible if you yourself are affected by graffiti.
In the event of graffiti damage, act quickly, professionally and sustainably, because:
Graffiti Attracts Copycats
Experience from all areas shows impressively that defacement attracts further vandalism. The longer the graffiti remains, the higher the risk of further graffiti.
Rolling stock, facades and public spaces make an unkempt impression and signalise that these surfaces are unattended and hardly anyone cares about them. We know that sprayers don’t just want to annoy, they also want their ‘art’ to be seen over a longer period. If they realise that their works will disappear again quickly, the incentive to make a new effort disappears.
New graffiti is easier to remove than longer-standing graffiti. The longer graffiti can remain on a surface or is exposed to the sun, the more stubborn it is to remove.
Graffiti Attacks the Material
Spray paints are getting better and better, geared towards a stronger hold. This can also damage the material of the surfaces. Damage or a reduction in diffusion capacity are not uncommon.
Graffiti Causes Trouble
Station operators are confronted with dissatisfied customers. Sprayed rolling stock causes uncertainty. Property managers need to deal with dissatisfied tenants if the building façade remains in a dirty state for too long. For many, graffiti also represents a financial risk: After all, in the worst-case scenario, graffiti can reduce the value of a property in the long term and in large numbers; at the very least, it is likely to deter potential buyers.
Or for building renovators of listed properties – legal conflicts can also arise here if the removal of graffiti does not comply with local rules and regulations.
This article was originally published by BIOforte.
