First Rail Support

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First Rail Support Launches FirstWatch

Thursday 11 June 2009

First Rail Support is set to launch a new crime busting initiative in partnership with British Transport Police.
 
The concept of FirstWatch is modelled on that of ‘Neighbourhood Watch’ and is aimed at giving extra value to TOC’s and its customers by providing extra eyes and ears from a security point of view at and around the front of Railway Stations.
 
FRS operates a replacement Coach/Bus/Taxi service on a national basis to the rail industry. As a consequence, they employ over 300 co-ordinators who are employed around the UK rail network actively assisting rail passengers and staff at the ‘Station Roadside’ with Rail/Road interface services at times of either emergency or pre-planned closures of Railway lines.
 
The FRS operation is co-ordinated from a 24/7 control room located in Simonstone, and from there controllers are able to pinpoint the location of the co-ordinators at any time whilst on duty. They are also in contact with each co-ordinator, whose duties often involve them spending protracted periods of time working at or around the front of Railway Stations.
 
The role of the co-ordinators lends itself to them acting as ‘eyes and ears’ for the BTP at these locations in a purely non-intervention role with the aim;
  •  For FRS to assist BTP at known crime hotspots in both a proactive and reactive manner.
  • For FRS to assist the BTP during ongoing incidents, such as looking out for missing persons or the monitoring of travelling football fans, when so requested.
  • For FRS staff to provide intelligence on items of interest to the BTP through their Duty Control Manager.
 
FRS staff will continue to report emergencies via the 999 system and other incidents through BTP’s Control Room. Intelligence reports will be submitted through FRS’s Control Room.
 

Maurice Duckworth, Managing Director of FRS, said “I’m pleased that our team is able to work in partnership with British Transport Police to improve the safety of our staff, rail staff and the travelling public. “

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