The music of Alvin, Simon and Theodore is being used to drive homeless people out of Bournemouth’s train station.
Bournemouth council and the Dorset police are alternating the Christmas jingles of the cartoon chipmunks with bagpipe music in order to discourage homeless people from taking shelter in the station.
The authorities began playing the music last month in response to complaints from train and bus passengers who felt intimidated by rough sleepers.
The music is played from midnight until 6:30am each night.
Carla Johnson, a Bournemouth resident who has started a petition against the policy, described the move as ‘against the morals of the majority of Bournemouth's residents.’
‘These people need our support, and not to be treated like wild animals, driven out of one area to the next’, she said.
Defending the policy, David Smith, a town centre councillor, said: ‘The playing of music at the station is one tiny part of the wider approach which includes close working with the police and the use of enforcement measures where appropriate in order to motivate people to assist them in changing their behaviour.
‘Alongside this, however, we always offer people the accommodation and support they need and achieve many successes with this as people safely move inside.’
Photo: Fire_Eyes/flickr
