British Transport Police Authority’s (BTPA) new Chair, Esther McVey, praised BTP’s innovative working following visits to the British Transport Police’s Specialist Operations Support Unit, Central London Police Station (CLPS) and Euston station hub team last week.

Esther met Superintendent John Conaghan from the Counter Terrorism Support Unit (CTSU) at Blundell Street to find out more about how BTP are at the forefront of preventing terrorist attacks on the rail network and the work that goes on behind the scenes. She also had the chance to learn about the Football Unit and how the force are focusing on tackling football-related anti-social behaviour on board trains and at stations.

Divisional Commander Chief Superintendent Martin Fry welcomed Esther to CLPS and gave an overview of current operations and priorities across B Division before introducing her to the Dip Squad and Sexual Offences teams.

 

BTPA Chair Esther McVey said:

“It was great to get a chance to see first-hand the wide range of strategic and operational issues BTP has to deal with each day and the different tactics and resources it can deploy, alongside its rail industry partners, to address them.

“I believe it’s important that as Chair I appreciate the reality of delivering policing on the railway and to help me with that I look forward to spending an evening shift with the Force shortly and being part of a team deployed to a football policing operation.”

Chief Superintendent Fry said:

“It was great to meet BTPA’s new Chair and to get the opportunity to discuss the range of work we do here on division and challenges that we face for the New Year. Hopefully the tour was insightful and revealed more about our capabilities and how we use these as a specialist force.”

Esther concluded her visit by heading over to meet Chief Superintendent Paul Brogden, who is working for Network Rail and leads on tackling disruption, before meeting the hub team at Euston station.

Talks with the UK’s rail industry began this week with the British Transport Police Authority and BTP embarking on nationwide consultation to determine the priorities for policing Great Britain’s trains and stations next year.

Events are taking place across the country with invited senior representatives from train and freight operating companies, Scottish government, Rail Delivery Group and Transport Focus discussing what BTP will need to focus on next year in order to assist in the safe and smooth running of the country’s rail network.

So far talks, which kicked off in Birmingham on Monday, have included identifying opportunities to improve how BTP supports staff and focusing on activities that increase confidence as well as maintaining a focus on increasing the identification of the perpetrators of crime.

Rail industry colleagues who have attended events so far, including Andy Cooper MD of CrossCountry and Virgin Trains Executive Director Phil Bearpark, have expressed a real appetite to work alongside BTP as delivery partners to assist in the intelligent deployment of police and industry resources and the sharing of information to direct those deployments.

To ensure a broad range of views are taken on board this year’s consultation coincides with BTP’s passenger consultation, which is seeing local police teams out and about asking commuters and rail staff ‘what matters to you?’ when it comes to policing. Feedback from both sets of consultation will be used to set the priorities for rail policing in 2016/17.

Consultation with the UK’s rail industry and Scottish & Welsh representatives closes on 13 November and will be followed up by a draft of policing priorities which the rail industry will comment on in the New Year. BTP’s passenger consultation ends 23 November.

You can keep updated on the progress on the plans for policing Great Britain’s railways 2016/17 or if you work in the rail industry and are interested in attending an event please get in touch.

View the latest policing plans.

Officials from UK and Scottish Government joined senior passenger and rail industry representatives in London last week to discuss the future of policing Great Britain’s railways and the current issues affecting the British Transport Police (BTP) and rail (24 September).

Invited guests, including representatives from Transport Focus, TfL, Rail Delivery Group (RDG) and freight and train operating companies were attending the British Transport Police Authority’s (BTPA) Annual Industry Workshop where a clear message of collaboration and a willingness to engage threaded through talks delivered on the day.

Opening the event, acting Chair of the BTPA Brian Phillpott reminded guests of the commitments the Authority had made at last year’s event and confirmed that the Authority is still guided by those principles which were designed as a result of industry feedback.

Setting the scene for policing, the Chief Constable of BTP Paul Crowther shared with guests the complexities and challenges of policing a major transport system which unlike other transport hubs, cannot adopt airport style security measures and yet would result in massive disruption costing society billions if under terrorist attack. During this period of heightened security the Chief discussed how it is more important than ever to work with industry to prepare and develop plans. Reinforcing the theme of collaboration, the chief reminded delegates that the ambition of the Authority and the Force is for BTP to be the supplier of choice and not just a service that the rail industry has to fund. Pointing to the value the BTP adds to the rail industry, Paul discussed the additional functions performed by the Force that do not constitute core policing yet saves industry and society billions each year. These value added services, such as preventing trespass or suicides, were picked up later in a presentation by the Chief Executive of BTPA Andrew Figgures who discussed the Force’s budget.

Andrew encouraged industry to consider how much it values the performance of these additional duties – which fall outside the realm of statutory policing – and as such could be compromised by government cuts. He invited guests to engage with the Authority and the Force to better understand the issue and the potential impact on a service that has been collaboratively fine-tuned over the last decade.

Guests were also invited to get involved in consultation kicking off next month that will be used to design the plans and priorities for policing in 2016/17. Liz France Deputy Chair of the Authority highlighted how the 2015/16 policing plans evidenced the strong correlation between industry requests and a Force and Authority response. This included the delivery of local problem solving plans and a breakdown of the deployment of Force resources across the rail network and Liz appealed for active industry engagement this year. The wider issue of a government review, which could mean the scrapping of police targets, was also raised by the deputy chair who encouraged industry to talk to the Authority about this matter to determine whether targets are still the right approach for the rail community. This was followed up by a presentation by RDG who described the work it was doing to assist and support policing and security on the railways.

Before closing the annual workshop Brian, who had chaired a lively Q&A with industry guests and speakers said: “We welcome the challenges and input from industry today as it improves relationships and the services we deliver.”

To compliment upcoming policing plan consultation, industry heads of security will be sent a survey later in the year to help better understand their needs for policing in 2016/17 and to measure how they feel the Authority and the Force have performed over the last 12 months.

BTPA Chair Brian added: “I am confident that guests who attended this year’s event will take back the message that both the Authority and the Force are eager to continue to do business and provide a service that is backed and directed by the people who use it.”

Click on the links below to view slides from the event:

Paul Crowther Chief Constable, BTP: Policing update

Liz France Deputy Chair, BTPA: Policing plan 2016/17

Andrew Figgures Chief Executive, BTPA: Impact of Spending Review 2015

Andy Odell, RDG: One year on

The BTPA is inviting industry representatives to join this year’s annual workshop to hear how the BTPA and BTP have performed in the last 12 months and to find out more about our plans for the year ahead.

Invited guests, which include senior members of staff representing the rail industry, passengers and the Force are encouraged to attend this annual event.

Attendees can expect an operational update from the Chief Constable of BTP, an overview of progress against our strategic plan, a look ahead on agreeing the budget and priorities for 2016/17 and an input on partnership working from the Rail Delivery Group.

The event will take place 24 September 2015, 9.30am-13.45pm at:

BMA House

Tavistock Square

London

WC1H 9JP

Click map to view in full

Event details

9.30-10.00am Arrivals and refreshments

10.00-10.10am Welcome and introductions

Brian Phillpott Chair, BTPA

10.10-11.15am Update from BTP to include

• Counter Terrorism
• Progress against the strategic plan
• Transformation programme

Paul Crowther Chief Constable, BTP

11.30am-11.45am Policing Plan 2016/17

Liz France Deputy Chair, BTPA

11.45am-12.15pm Impact of Spending Review 2015 

Andrew Figgures Chief Executive, BTPA

12.15-12.30pm Rail Delivery Group – one year on

Andy Odell, RDG

12.30-12.45pm Closing speeches and thanks  

Brain Phillpott Chair, BTPA

12.45-13.45pm Lunch

If you are interested in attending or would like more information please call 020 7 383 0259.

Keep checking our website for the most up to date information about our workshop.

Find out what happened at last year’s event.

BTPA can announce Brian Phillpott has stepped up as interim Chair of the body that oversees the work of British Transport Police whilst the Department for Transport (DfT) seeks a new appointment (15 August).

The Secretary of State for Transport gave agreement for Brian, who until Friday was the Deputy chair of the BTPA, to take up the post supported by interim Deputy Chair Liz France who has been an Authority Member since 2010.

The announcement follows the departure of former Chair Millie Banerjee who left BTPA on Friday.

Both Brian and Liz will work closely with Members, BTP’s Chief Constable and the Authority’s Chief Executive to maintain the strategy the Authority has set – and that the Force is delivering – in order to reduce disruption and crime on the railways whilst increasing passenger confidence, all within a tightly controlled budget.

BTPA Chief Executive Andrew Figgures said: “Brian and Liz will provide much needed continuity over the period of the spending review and whilst the Force is undergoing a major transformation as well as managing the increased threat level to our railways.”

DfT are expected to appoint a new chair before the end of the year.