The Department for Transport and British Transport Police (BTP) are launching a national Safer Railway Scheme.
About the scheme
Train operators are assessed by the BTP against eight standards – covering how they support victims, protect vulnerable passengers, train staff, and prevent crime and harassment. To be accredited, the operator must meet a minimum standard, scoring at least 70pc overall. Meanwhile, the railways are in the throes of organisational change from the 1990s era of privatised train operators to nationalisation and Department for Transport (DfT) operating trains and a publicly owned oversight body Great British Railways (GBR).
The new Home Office Minister for Safeguarding and Violence against Women and Girls Natalie Fleet (who replaced Jess Phillips who resigned earlier this month) said: “I know what it is like to experience this kind of behaviour – the fear, the anger, and the way it changes how you move through the world. Too many women carry this every day, including on their journeys to work or home. By working with the rail sector through the Enough campaign – from stations and platforms to digital channels – we are using every opportunity to challenge abuse and make public transport safer for women and girls. But we will not stop there. We will deploy the full power of the state to make this country safe for women and girls.”
Campaign
Police and the authorities meanwhile have launched a campaign for reporting of harassment on trains. BTP point to the 61016 text service offering the travelling public and rail staff a means to contact police directly and discreetly, to report non-emergency crime.
Peter Gibbons, Chief Security Officer at Network Rail, which runs the rail infrastructure such as main stations, said: “Sexual harassment has no place in society, and that includes on our trains or anywhere in our stations – thatโs why weโre proud to be part of the Enough campaign. We are already working with British Transport Police and the rest of the rail industry to expand CCTV coverage, give police real-time access to footage, and make it easier for passengers to report incidents. But there is still more to do.
“As an industry, we have committed to clear, measurable action to protect women and girls across the whole rail network. From ensuring our staff are properly trained to recognise and respond to harassment, to working with partners to target the locations where these incidents have historically happened, we want the safest possible railway that works for everyone.”
Photo by Mark Rowe: London St Pancras roof.
