The local council decided to take action in November 2010 against groups of young people drinking, listening to loud music and leaving their rubbish behind them at the station, online news website 20 Minutes reported.

The council was inspired to try something new having heard of the success of a London Underground project that had managed to restore calm and cleanliness by playing classical music through station speakers.

Since then, Heerbrugg station has been playing Mozart or Beethoven constantly from seven in the morning until ten o’clock at night, seven days a week, for over a year.

But the success appears to have been limited.

The youths have moved away from the entrance area, pleasing the local mayor, but have instead installed themselves not 50 metres away in the post office car park.

“It does not work,” local florist Darenka Zahnder told 20 Minutes. “Especially on Saturdays, they come with their cars to the post office car park and stand in front of the kiosk.”