1 Introduction
1. A railway that is safe from crime and that passengers
perceive to be safe from crime is essential for Britain's society
and economy. In this inquiry, we examined:
· Recent
trends in crime and perceptions of crime on the railway;
· The measures
that train operators and Network Rail are taking to reduce crime
and perceptions of crime;
· The role of
the British Transport Police (BTP) in reducing crime, including
whether the BTP's current strategic plan is sufficiently challenging;
· Relationships
between the BTP, train operators and Network Rail;
· Collaboration
and partnership working between the BTP, other police forces and
the Home Office;
· Progress in
tackling cable theft on the railway.
2. The inquiry began with a call for written evidence
on 23 January 2014. The Committee conducted its first oral evidence
session on 7 April 2014, when we heard from criminologists, the
charity Railway Children, the Rail Delivery Group and Passenger
Focus. The inquiry concluded on 23 June 2014, when we questioned
a Department for Transport (DfT) Minister and official, the BTP
and the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). We are grateful
to everyone who took the time to submit evidence to our inquiry.
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