Southeastern, Network Rail and the British Transport Police have come together with a renewed focus to tackle antisocial behaviour on the railway and improve the safety and security of customers and staff.
The three organisations have signed up to a joint plan, pooling resources to focus on and tackle a rising number of assaults on staff as well as trespass incidents which can cause delays to thousands of passengers. The train company has also equipped its staff with body worn cameras which provides BTP and Southeastern with additional evidence to prosecute offenders.
Southeastern is committed to reducing anti-social behaviour on the network and has brought in extra security trained staff, complementing the Railway Enforcement Officer team, to specific hotspots– and in doing so, has successfully reduced ticketless travel from nearly seven per cent to under three per cent. It also makes Southeastern the first train operator in the country to sign an agreement of this kind, as part of its effort to improve safety and security.
The agreement was signed by the three sponsors: Southeastern’s Managing Director Steve White, Network Rail’s Route Director for Kent, David Davidson and British Transport Police Chief Superintendent, Chris Casey.
Steve White, Managing Director, Southeastern Railway said: “I’m incredibly proud to be the first train operator in the country to have our commitment to safety and security formalised in this agreement, as part of our drive for a better, more reliable and sustainable railway.
“While the vast majority of our customers can and do use our railway safely, there’s a small but growing minority who don’t, and we won’t tolerate any abuse on our network towards our people or our passengers. “We’ve already got a very positive and close working relationship with Network Rail and the British Transport Police, but this agreement enables us to work more effectively as one team”
