Conclusions and recommendations
British Transport Police
1. Transport
providers pay for specialist railway policing. That is a cost-effective
arrangement for taxpayers, if the BTP meets the needs of both
the railway industry and the travelling public. That requires
effective governance and accountability. (Paragraph 4)
British Transport Police Authority
2. The
Secretary of State for Transport must appoint at least one new
member of the BTPA in order to comply with the Railways and Transport
Safety Act 2003. In addressing that point, the Secretary of State
should appoint a member from Passenger Focus, which is the statutory
body representing the interests of rail users and is therefore
best placed to advance the interests of passengers. (Paragraph
8)
3. It is important
that the BTP and the BTPA work together effectively, but the BTPA
must be mindful of its obligations to oversee the work of the
BTP and to drive performance by setting realistic but challenging
targets on crime reduction and crime prevention. The BTPA must
avoid any perception that it is too close to the people whom it
should be holding to account. (Paragraph 9)
Department for Transport
4. We
are satisfied that the BTP should be a DfT responsibility. The
DfT must maintain and develop its liaison links with the Home
Office to ensure that the specific operational requirements of
the BTP are addressed in future Home Office legislation. (Paragraph
13)
Risk-based rail policing
5. We
were convinced by the case for a risk-based approach to policing
Britain's railways. We were impressed by the BTP's commitment
to tackling crime while minimising delays for the travelling public.
(Paragraph 15)
Counter terrorism
6. The
BTP has a proven record of successful risk-based, counter-terrorist
policing, which depends on accurate and up-to-date intelligence.
The BTP must maintain and develop its liaison links with other
police forces and the security services to ensure that it has
the latest intelligence on major threats. (Paragraph 17)
7. Following the reorganisation
of TRANSEC, it is important that the DfT maintains sufficient
expertise at a departmental level to address major threats to
both the railway and other transport modes. (Paragraph 18)
Expanding specialist transport policing
8. There
may be value in applying BTP's specialist approach to policing
the railways to other transport modes, such as aviation. In particular,
if the BTP's funding structure and close working relationship
with transport providers were replicated at airports, it could
minimise delays, maximise security and reduce the cost of policing
for the taxpayer. The DfT should examine the case for expanding
the remit of the BTP to include (a) aviation and (b) other modes
of transport. (Paragraph 21)
Crime statistics
9. We
welcome the overall decrease in crime on the railway. However,
there is no room for complacency, because the high-level statistics
mask increases in serious crimes involving assault, sexual offences
and racial harassment and areas where the BTP can improve its
performance. The BTPA must fulfil its core function of setting
the BTP challenging but achievable targets. (Paragraph 27)
Fear of crime
10. The
DfT, the BTP, Network Rail and train operators must address not
only crime, but the fear of crime in order to maintain and grow
the railway. Visible policing is a proven means of enhancing passengers'
perceptions of security. We therefore welcome the BTP's plan to
deploy more officers on patrolling railway stations at key times.
To fulfil its oversight role, the BTPA must monitor the implementation
of the BTP's deployment of more officers at railway stations and
examine how this affects passengers' perceptions of their personal
security. (Paragraph 34)
11. We approve of
the inclusion of compliance with the Secure Stations and Safer
Parking schemes as a factor in rail franchise negotiations. However,
Secure Stations are of little benefit if passengers cannot get
to and from them safely. To secure full value from such investments,
improvements to railway station security should be accompanied
by complementary improvements to station car parks. (Paragraph
35)
Vulnerable children and young people
12. Accurate
data are crucial to, first, defining and, secondly, solving problems.
We welcome the BTP's assurance that it will examine its available
data on runaway children and young people. We look forward to
seeing the results of its analysis, which will inform not only
our inquiry but the work of charities such as Railway Children.
If that analysis of the BTP's data requires significant resources,
the DfT should make them available to facilitate the protection
of vulnerable children and young people. (Paragraph 38)
13. Although the welfare
of a runaway young person or child is the long-term responsibility
of a local authority safeguarding board, it is the BTP's short-term
responsibility while that young person is in its care. The BTPA
must set the BTP appropriate targets in relation to child protection
to bring the BTP in line with other police forces and to capture
the extent and importance of the BTP's responsibilities. (Paragraph
40)
14. Child protection
at railway stations is an emerging issue. We commend Railway Children
for raising it, which allowed us to alert the Minister. The DfT
should ensure that the BTPA sets the BTP appropriate targets on
child protection. In addition, the Minister should convene a seminar
involving departmental officials, the BTP, the BTPA, Railway Children
and other NGOs and the Transport Select Committee to ensure that
policy and practice in this area is fit for purpose. (Paragraph
41)
Cable theft
15. We
welcome the sharp decline in incidences of cable theft, which
has translated into reduced delays for the travelling public and
decreased costs for Network Rail. (Paragraph 43)
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