Vulnerable children at risk in Britain’s railway stations

• Report: Security on the Railway
• Report: Security on the Railway (PDF 1.83MB)
• Inquiry: Security on the Railway
• Transport Committee

Chair's comments

Launching the report, Transport Committee Chair Louise Ellman MP said:

"Vulnerable children and young people who have run away from home or from care are often found in and around railway stations. Over 700 were found at London stations between April 2012 and August 2013. More must be done by British Transport Police to improve their child protection arrangements."

New practices

The Committee calls for BTP (British Transport Police) to compile and examine the available data on vulnerable young people in railway stations, and to establish the extent and nature of the issue. MPs also call on the BTP to develop new practices to safeguard at-risk children, with more funding from central government if necessary.

While recognising that overall crime levels on the rail network have fallen, MPs warn that year-on-year decreases in the total number of offences committed on Britain’s railways should not mask increases in particular categories of crime.

Commenting on this Louise Ellman MP added:

"We recognise that the British Transport Police has worked hard to bring down crime on Britain’s railways, but we are concerned about increases in serious crimes such as assault, racial harassment and sexual offences."

Praise

The Committee also praises the BTP’s proven approach to counter-terrorism, developed over several decades and strikingly evidenced during the attacks on London in 2005. However, they stress the importance of the organisation’s future access to expertise and the latest intelligence.

Louise Ellman adds:

"Following the re-organisation of the DfT’s Transport Security Executive, it’s vital BTP maintains close links with other police forces and security services to ensure prompt intelligence and liaison about major threats."

MPs also highlight the need for the British Transport Police Authority to exercise greater scrutiny in order to better address emerging problems. Louise Ellman said: 

"The British Transport Police Authority is the body with responsibility for monitoring the performance of the BTP and for setting challenging but achievable targets to tackle crime on the railway. We are not convinced that the Authority is fulfilling this remit effectively. For example, the BTP’s current detection rate for theft offences is only 7%, which clearly requires urgent improvement."

Sharp decline

The report welcomes the sharp decline in the frequency of cable theft on Britain’s railways, which has improved reliability for passengers and saved Network Rail some £10 million a year. Louise Ellman added:

"In 2012, we recommended that the DfT should address cable theft by amending the law on scrap metal dealing to make sellers prove their identity at scrap metal yards. The DfT implemented our recommendation, which has clearly prevented criminals from melting down stolen cable. That has curbed cable theft, reduced delays for passengers and saved Network Rail a significant amount of money."

Further information

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