28 January 2026

We are pleased to announce that Tricia Hayes has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport, following an open competition, as the new Chair of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA). She will take up the role on 5 March 2026, succeeding Ron Barclay-Smith, who departs after his second four-year term as Chair.

Tricia joined the Authority as a Member in January 2024. We look forward to working with her in this new capacity as we shape the Authority’s strategic direction over the next four years, ensuring that the British Transport Police (BTP) continues to operate as an efficient, effective and trusted specialist force that delivers excellent service, maintains the security of the rail network and provides value for money for the taxpayer.

A former Civil Service Permanent Secretary, and Home Office Director General for Crime and Policing, Tricia spent the majority of her career at the Department for Transport. She brings deep sector expertise and a lifelong passion for public service and public safety. She is currently Chair of London TravelWatch, the statutory transport watchdog for London, and serves on the Boards of Transport Focus and the Building Safety Regulator. She is also a member of the Advisory Panel at Baringa, a global management consultancy, and volunteers regularly with English Heritage.

Tricia Hayes said:

“I’m truly honoured to be taking on this important role. Ron has achieved such a lot during his eight years, and I’m committed to building on his work. Most of my working life has been spent on either improving transport or protecting the public, and this is a great opportunity for me to continue to be part of both these worlds. As a Member of the Authority over the last couple of years, I’ve loved getting to know the Force and connecting with outstanding public servants around the country. I’m keen to get out and about quickly to get to know you even better, and to hear from you firsthand what you need from me and other Members of the Authority.”

Ron Barclay-Smith said:

“It has been a privilege to serve as Chair of the British Transport Police Authority for the past eight years. I’m immensely proud of the dedication shown by both BTP and the Authority during my tenure, particularly through periods of substantial challenge across the rail sector, and witness firsthand the outstanding work that is delivered every day. I warmly welcome Tricia as my successor. Her expertise and leadership will serve the Authority and very well as it continues to uphold strong governance and ensure that BTP delivers high‑quality policing for passengers, staff and the wider rail community.”

28 January 2026

The British Transport Police Authority has exercised its powers under s36 and s37 of the Railways and Transport Safety Act 2003 and today introduced the British Transport Police (Vetting) Regulations 2025. These regulations follow measures introduced by the Home Office in 2025 and represent a significant step to ensuring fair and robust reviews of vetting clearance for serving BTP officers.

The Authority is grateful for the constructive engagement from its Members, as well as colleagues across BTP, the BTP Federation and Police Superintendents’ Association in the preparation of these regulations.

17^th November 2025

The British Transport Police Authority is pleased to welcome three new Members to the Authority.

Emma Strain is currently Customer Director at Transport for London, where she leads on implementation of TfL’s Customer Strategy and commercial revenue generation. She is also a non-executive director of the London Transport Museum, and a Trustee of Hockerill Anglo European College. Prior to TfL, she has held leadership roles at the Greater London Authority and has a background in management consultancy.

Mike Jackson is currently interim Chief Operating Officer at Sheffield City Council and has previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, Bristol City Council, and North Somerset Council. Earlier in his career he held roles in the UK Civil Service.

Alexia Course is currently Chief Commercial Officer at Transport for Wales (TfW) where she is responsible for all TfW’s commercial, revenue, contract, procurement, funding, regulatory and governmental interests. She also sits on the Boards of TfW’s subsidiary businesses, TfW Fibre, TfW Rail Ltd and Pullman Rail Ltd. Earlier in her career, she held roles with Network Rail.

BTPA Chair Ron Barclay-Smith said, ‘I look forward to working with Emma, Mike and Alexia over the coming months as the Authority works with the British Transport Police (BTP) to enhance its reputation within policing for its innovative and bold approach, whilst simultaneously challenging BTP to deliver its service efficiently and effectively.

We will do all of this whilst also having an eye to the future of the wider rail and policing agendas, particularly both the Authority and the BTP’s future place working alongside Great British Railways.’

There are now 16 Members of the BTPA, the independent oversight body responsible for ensuring an efficient and effective police force for the railways. The Authority is made up of a Chair, Deputy Chair and Authority Members, supported by an executive team who manage finance, strategy, governance, performance and secretariat along with holding the Chief Constable to account.

 

3 November 2025

The British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) expresses its profound shock and horror at the tragic incident that occurred at Huntingdon on Saturday 1 November. Our thoughts are firmly with those who have been injured – we hope they make a swift recovery, along with other passengers and staff who were involved and impacted by those events.

We wish to pay tribute to the swift and professional response of all involved. The dedication and composure shown by LNER staff was exemplary and we commend the emergency services for their rapid and coordinated efforts to ensure the safety and wellbeing of passengers and staff.

In particular, BTPA recognises the actions of the British Transport Police officers who responded with courage and professionalism under extremely challenging circumstances. Their commitment to protecting the public and restoring safety is a testament to the values and resilience of the Force.

The Authority will continue to work closely with the Force in steadfast support of their vital role in safeguarding Britain’s railways and the travelling public.

6 August 2025

 

The British Transport Police Authority (BTPA) is pleased to announce that Stuart Cundy has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Constable of the British Transport Police (BTP).  

Stuart will replace BTP’s former Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland who retired from policing in April this year.  

Stuart most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and after a rigorous recruitment process will join BTP on 27 October 2025.  

Stuart’s distinguished policing career began with the Metropolitan Police Service in 1994, where he served in both uniform and detective roles at the forefront of public service in the Capital. In 2013 he became Assistant Chief Constable at Surrey Police, leading the specialist crime command, before returning to the Met in 2016.  

As an experienced strategic commander across a wide range of complex, sensitive and high-profile matters, he brings a wealth of experience to BTP. Stuart was awarded a Queen’s Police Medal (QPM) in 2018 for leading the Met’s response to the London Bridge terror attacks and has also led several national policing portfolios on behalf of Chief Constable’s Council. These include homicide and major crime investigations, family liaison, and Coroner’s services, demonstrating his commitment to excellence and compassion in the most complex and sensitive areas of policing.  

Notably, Stuart led the policing response into the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017, where 72 people tragically lost their lives. This included overseeing both the police engagement with the public inquiry and the criminal investigation, which was unprecedented in both scale and complexity, as well as having a profound impact on the bereaved, survivors, residents and the local community. 

In his most recent position as Deputy Assistant Commissioner, he also held key leadership roles across Corporate Services and Transformation, Professionalism and Frontline Policing, and continued to shape the future of policing with integrity, resilience, and strategic vision.   

Chair of the BTPA, Ron Barclay-Smith says, “I am really pleased Stuart is joining BTP as Deputy Chief Constable. He brings a wealth of experience and insight from his time in the Met, and I am confident that he will make a valuable contribution to the work of BTP, as Guardians of the Railway. The BTP Authority looks forward to supporting Stuart in this important role and to the positive impact his leadership will bring.”  

Stuart says, “I am really excited to be joining BTP as DCC and I look forward to working closely with the Chief Constable and colleagues across BTP, as well as with our partners across the rail, underground and tram networks, to protect passengers and railway staff and minimise disruption.  

My time policing the nation’s capital has given me a wealth of operational experience. At this pivotal moment for Great Britain’s railway, I see a real opportunity for BTP to build on its unique reputation as the guardians of the railway and to lead the way in its field of policing.  

I joined policing to make a difference. It will be a privilege to serve the railway community across England, Scotland and Wales, and to work alongside the dedicated officers and staff of BTP, the Authority, and our industry partners, to deliver a safe, secure and resilient network.

Finally, I want to thank my family, friends and colleagues for their unwavering support throughout my policing journey.  I know they will continue to stand beside me as I begin this exciting new chapter.”

This announcement can also be found on the British Transport Police website here.