Managing security
We aim to create a climate in which our passengers feel safe and secure while travelling and using our services.
Our employees play an essential role in achieving this. We continue to invest in bespoke staff training and internal communication. In this way we seek to raise awareness and increase employee understanding of security and the role they play in managing them.
Partnership working plays an important role in our security programme. We work closely with other operators, stakeholders and in particular the British Transport Police (BTP).
- We have a BTP Police Inspector working with us at First Capital Connect and First Great Western.
- Through BTP we provide funding for Police and Community Support Officers who are deployed on our stations and services.
- In First ScotRail we have introduced a reporting process for employees to report security risks ‘Help Us Help You’ in partnership with BTP.
We have invested heavily in the use of CCTV on trains and stations. A new CCTV system will soon go live at First Capital Connect and we are currently engaged in designing a new system for First Great Western. These systems will link to our customer help facilities and should significantly enhance security on stations.
TRANSEC provides the rail industry with specific direction and guidance on the security measures we must follow to mitigate this risk.We continue to work closely with TRANSEC to manage the threat from terrorism.
All Train Operating Companies are encouraged to develop further ways to manage security risks at local level. To support this the UK Rail division has recently established a Security Working Group to share best practice and explore and evaluate ideas.
To improve security at our stations we continue to work towards Secure Station status in our First TransPennine Express, First Capital Connect and First Great Western franchises. This scheme is managed by the Department for Transport in partnership with the BTP and the crime prevention charity, Crime Concern. It requires stations to meet stringent standards in their design, management, security and passenger safety.
First ScotRail are not involved in this scheme but have a substantial security programme involving one of the most extensive CCTV networks outside London, developed in collaboration with Transport Scotland and Regional Transport Partnerships.
| Percentage of stations with Secure Station Status | ||
|---|---|---|
| Percentage of stations with Secure Station Status 06/07 | Percentage of stations with Secure Station Status 07/08 | |
| First Great Western | 15% | 51% |
| First Capital Connect | 18% | 60% |
| First TransPennine Express | 76% | 93% |
Improving security at First Capital Connect
First Capital Connect has launched a range of security initiatives during the year to help reduce anti social behaviour. Working closely with the BTP, they have held a series of crime prevention days to provide customers with crime prevention advice. The initiative involved an annual investment of nearly £1 million in 24 Police Community Support Officers and five police officers to patrol the network. A year after the project was launched, BTP data indicates that anti-social behaviour on First Capital Connect trains and stations has decreased by 44% with a 15% reduction in overall crime.