All of First TransPennine Express’ (FTPE) 30 managed stations have been accredited to the government’s Secure Station Scheme.
Nearly 20 million passengers use FTPE stations every year, and the Department for Transport (DfT) have measured and assessed them against a demanding set of criteria.
This includes the number of reported crimes compared to the number of customers using the station.
The British Transport Police (BTP) have confirmed that all 30 stations have achieved a crime to customer ratio of better than 1/20,000, the requirement for successful accreditation to the Secure Station Scheme.
Billy Vickers, FTPE’s Police Liaison Officer commented:
“This is really good news for our stations across the north of England. Safety is our number one priority and we will continue to work to improve the station environments for the benefit of customers and staff.
“Customers expect to travel and colleagues have the right to work in safe and secure environments. Rail stations are open public places that are vulnerable to increased levels of crime.
“It is our responsibility to reduce this risk and through initiatives such as full CCTV coverage, sponsorship of Police Community Support Officers, platform help points and British Transport Police safety assessments we have successfully achieved Secure Station Status accreditation all our stations.
“Of course we will continue to work to reduce the crime at our stations further.”
Regular safety audits are conducted in partnership with the BTP and £17m has been invested to make FTPE’s stations light, bright and safe environments. This includes the installation of state of the art CCTV and customer help points.
Steve Johnston, FTPE’s Head of Stations said:
“I am delighted that our stations have been recognised as safe and secure.
“We always work hard to keep and make customers feel safe when they travel with us and it is pleasing that the level of crime has continued to fall for a number of years.
“This has been achieved by station development, better use of technology and improved levels of staff training.”
Overall FTPE has seen a 25% reduction in the level of crime at its stations since 2007/08.
British Transport Police Crime Reduction Officer Mike Jones said:
“On behalf of British Transport Police I would like to congratulate First TransPennine Express in achieving Secure Station status at all its stations.
“The Secure Stations Scheme is an important element in securing our rail system, reassuring passengers and staff, and ensuring the continued success of the industry.
“The rail system is a low crime environment and one where increasing resources are being put into combating anti-social behaviour and disorder.
“However, if we are going to drive down crime and anti-social behaviour further, we need to continue to work together in a smarter and more planned way.
“That is what the Secure Stations Scheme can offer – a meaningful measure of better co-operative working between station operators and the police, not only of crime, but more importantly of how people feel about the stations they travel to and from.”
“…a meaningful measure of better co-operative working between station operators and the police, not only of crime, but more importantly of how people feel about the stations they travel to and from.”
Whilst I applaud the efforts made towards better security I cannot help the feeling that this scheme is only about public perceptions. Any measure is only seen as a true measure by comparison. What are the crime figures at locations not yet in the Secure Station Scheme?
Surely the best way to drive change is to embarrass operators and local communities by pointing out where stations fail to make the grade.