Rail guards needed to reduce violent crime
Rail guards needed to reduce violent crime
Rail union RMT has renewed its call for the return of guards to all trains and for more uniformed staff on stations as British Transport Police (BTP) reveals another rise in violent crime on Britain's rail and Tube networks. 'It is deeply disturbing that violence on the railways is still on the increase,' said RMT general secretary Bob Crow. 'Our members have to bear the brunt of aggressive, drunken behaviour, particularly at night and particularly when working alone. Just as our members want to be able to work in safety, members of the public, particularly women travelling alone, should not have to run the gauntlet on deserted stations late at night or worry about being attacked in a train carriage.' He added: 'The simple fact is that adequately staffed, well lit stations are safer than dark, deserted ones. We need adequate staff on every station all the time they are open and a guard on every train, including on the Tube.' Violent crime on the UK's rail network rose by nearly 12 per cent last year, much of it fuelled by alcohol, police say. There were 9,748 cases of violent crime on the UK's railways in the year to March - up from 8,727 - while violence rose 14 per cent on the London Underground. The BTP annual report notes: 'With an average of six assaults on rail staff every day, it is a significant problem for the industry and BTP. In response, a national campaign against assaults on rail staff was launched at the end of November. The thrust of the campaign is a series of station posters produced by the cross-industry Rail Personal Security Group (RPSG), which runs the campaign.'
- RMT news release. BTP news release and annual report [pdf]. BBC News Online. Sky News.
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