Pointless signs - St Erth

This from Harry the Voice...

Pictured at St Erth today.

Hmmm... 'regularly patrol', although on an infrequent basis?

Perchance a case of Optimism Bias?

Exciting news ahead of BTP merger into Police Scotland

This from The Scotsman...

Officers have begun leaving the British Transport Police ahead of its controversial integration into Police Scotland, it has emerged.

The British Transport Police Federation said a small number of officers had left to join specialist forces elsewhere in Scotland, while others were seeking transfers to England.

Fancy!

15,000 rail staff trained by Samaritans

This from the Samaritans...

15,000 rail staff trained by Samaritans in suicide prevention

Around 1 in 6 rail staff is now trained to prevent people taking their lives on the railway, as part of the suicide prevention partnership between Samaritans, Network Rail, British Transport Police (BTP) and the wider rail industry. Potentially life-saving interventions are increasing at the same time.

Between April 2016 and the end of March this year, 1,593* interventions were made across Britain’s rail network by staff, British Transport Police, local police and the public, an increase of 40 percent on the previous year.

In the same period, suicides and suspected suicides on the rail network dropped from 253 to 237**, showing a decline in rail suicides for the second year in a row. This is a fall of 18 percent in two years and 2016/17 represents the lowest yearly figure since 2010.

Good effort.

Humza, I'm not sure that this is a great idea.

The SNP has decided to disaggregate the BTP!

Delighted to pass my first Bill with support from Greens. Will make Railway Policing more accountable & draw on wider pool of expertise

— Humza Yousaf (@HumzaYousaf) June 27, 2017

Of course even in Scotland, it is rumoured that, fine Malts are watered down.

Why would you do this?

Amber Rudd, Chris Grayling, Tom Winsor, Philip Rutnam and Bernadette Kelly please note:

HANDS OFF OUR BOBBIES!

BTP first in the line of duty at London Bridge

This from our 'Railway Plod'; which is very much part of the Railway Family.

Which makes it somewhat personal!

Statement from Chief Constable on British Transport Police officer injured at London Bridge

Following the horrific attacks at London Bridge last night, the British Transport Police officer who was injured is now in a stable condition.

Chief Constable Paul Crowther said: “Having visited the officer in hospital shortly after he was admitted for treatment, I was able to hear his account of what happened last night.

“It became clear that he showed enormous courage in the face of danger, as did many others who were at the scene and rushed to help.

“Although he is seriously unwell, he was able to recount how he faced the attackers armed only with his baton, outside London Bridge station.

“For an officer who only joined us less than two years ago, the bravery he showed was outstanding and makes me extremely proud.

“All of us at BTP wish him a swift recovery, and I know he will be touched by the hundreds of messages of support from across the UK and the world.

“Our thoughts are with all of those who died or were injured, and their loved ones as they try to come to terms with what happened.”

Big respect!

Good effort.

And our prayers and thoughts are with the officer, his colleagues, family and friends.

Also... thank you to all our BTP colleagues for all that you do to keep everyone safe, day in and day out, on or about the railway.

Of course, the BTP has often been at the forefront of policing.

This from the British Transport Police History Group...

The railway police were the first force in the country to use trained police dogs (1909), one of the first to use drug sniffer dogs (1974), and the first to introduce a computerised crime reporting procedure (1970s). 

The force took a national lead in football intelligence in the 1980s, and developed a bomb threat analysis procedure, later adopted nationally, as a result of dealing with twenty high explosive devices, forty incendiary devices and more than five thousand bomb threats during one three year period (1991-94).

Perhaps Theresa May will consult with the railway industry, before attempting to merge the specialist BTP into the constabularies of very different industries?

Meanwhile, Hands off our Bobbies!

Tory Manifesto - Farewell BTP?

This from Politics Home...

JUSTICE
Other pledges include the creation of a national infrastructure police force, bringing together the Civil Nuclear Constabulary, the Ministry of Defence Police and the British Transport Police to improve the protection of critical infrastructure such as nuclear sites, railways and the strategic road network.

Not sure that this will be universally welcomed!

Phillips chairs BTPA as McVey contests Tatton

This from the British Transport Police Authority...

I am writing to inform you that Esther McVey has formally resigned her position as Chairman and her membership of the British Transport Police Authority following her selection as the Conservative Party candidate for the Tatton Constituency in the upcoming General Election. Esther, who was formally selected as a prospective parliamentary candidate on 26 April, has been Chairman since November 2015.

Mark Phillips, the current Deputy Chairman, will be fulfilling the duties of Chairman until a permanent replacement can be appointed. Mark, who has been a member of BTPA since September 2013, has a background in rail, having worked for British Rail, Railtrack and National Express. He is currently Chief Executive of the RSSB.

Tatton was the constituency of the former Chancellor, George 'Many Jobs' Osborne.

BTP promotes early age safety culture

This from the Inverness Courier...

TWO Inverness schoolchildren are to become rail safety ambassadors after trespassing on a main line near the city. 

The girl and boy aged five and six were caught with a group of older children on the railway line at Woodside Burn, Smithton...

PC Andrea McGhee said: “When the schools go back after the Easter holidays I will be speaking to the local primary school on the dangers of being on the line and I have asked the two children to be my wee helpers during my presentation.

“I have already had a chat with them and made them aware of the dangers of going onto a railway line.”

Always good to see Scotland leading the way.

More of this please British Transport Police, as part of your national programme.

Precisely why we need a specialist, nationwide, transport police service. 

Just in case Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, is listening?

A word on today's incident in London...

There but for the Grace of God...

...thought many of us who looked at the pictures from Lambeth this morning, knowing it could have been so much worse. 

Look at the 'Crash site' on the BBC infographic below and see its proximity to the railway.

Without wishing to diminish in anyway those caught up in the incident, the emergency services and the families and friends of those injured or who lost their lives, might Eye extend a very small plaudit to the railway and those who enabled it to keep running throughout today (NR, SWT, The brothers, Met, LFB, BTP, etc...)

This evening many local road users are still experiencing significant disruption.

But the railway kept on running. 

Eye salutes all those involved.

As a wise man once said: Keep calm and run trains.

UPDATE: This from the Wandsworth Wanderer...

As a “PS” to the worthy tribute to the railway in south London yesterday, while Vauxhall station did close yesterday morning, it was open again to passengers within a few hours... and as someone who had travelled in from Hampshire via SWT for a meeting in the West End at 10.30am, I arrived at Waterloo right time.  

So, yes, the railways played a blinder!

And I can also vouch for the ongoing transport chaos on local roads in SW London during this morning’s rush-hour. 

Cars, vans and lorries bumper to bumper clogging up road junctions and several buses on lengthy diversions.

Happily many bus passengers abandoned the road network, walking considerable distances to use the train from Clapham Junction instead!

Railway rob-dogs gaoled

This from the Runcorn & Widnes World...

A GANG of metal thieves who posed as railway workers to steal redundant rail and fencing, have been jailed for a total of more than 21 years.

As PJ Woodhouse was fond of saying: 'without the option'.

And Quite. Right. Too!

Underground Arms Race

This will not go well.

According to the Indie...

Mr Hammond said: "The Government has been considering the resilience of the overall police armed capability and has concluded that it would be beneficial to enhance this by providing the BTP with an armed capability of its own.

"The timing of this is not as a result of any specific threat: it is a sensible and pragmatic approach to ensuring that our police forces have the right resources to be able to respond as and when needed to protect the public."

He went on: "We will continue to work with the BTP and others to assess the use of this capability and its effectiveness and impact"

Perhaps Eye can explain the 'impact' - a relatively small hole resulting in a dramatic adjustment in one's social life.

Lest we forget - a previous deployment of armed officers on the Underground was not exactly a triumph for either policing or innocent Brazilians.

UPDATE: This from The Major...

Arming the BTP does not worry me in the slightest.

However, if they also receive ammunition then I'll admit to some concern.

UPDATE: This from Chionanthus virginicus...

Following the announcement that BTP officers will carry guns, and the previous announcement that BTP will take over control of police helicopters across the UK, (Eye passim) can we expect these machines to be replaced with more "appropriate" equipment?

Almost certainly, as soon as the MoD finishes biking them back from Romania.

Turning the tables on the BTP!

This from Robin Hood...

Good news for all the crims and perps out there! (is this right? Ed)

This from the British Transport Police...

You can now follow us on Twitter.

Let's see how they like it! (you're fired!!! Ed)

Pointless signs - Hatfield

This from The Yokel...

Would these pictures from Hatfield (Herts) qualify as Pointless Sign entries?


The bridge is the only way onto and off the island platform that serves both fast and slow Down lines.


If we cannot pass the sign, then it is pointless having Down trains stop at Hatfield (except to pick up passengers from the previous train who have realised that they cannot leave the station).

With the slightly darker mood occasioned by the news that the BTP intends to award itself the authority to shoot passengers, perhaps all those pictured breaching railway bylaws should be dealt with 'Met stylee'?

BTP to turn railways into Wild West

Good news for those concerned about fare evasion!

This from Sky News...

Sky News has learned that the growing threat of terrorism has prompted British Transport Police to draw up plans for its own firearms division.

Brazilian passengers may wish to travel by coach in future.

Railway Air Service Resurgent

Telegrammed by International Correspondent
British Transport Police is taking control of 23 helicopters (plus three spares) to provide a new National Police Air Service.

This replaces the 33 machines presently owned by individual county forces and the Met.

Civil police wanting to deploy a helicopter will now have to ask nicely, instead of just splashing out £2000 an hour whenever they fancy.

G-NTWK, Network Rail's own very lovely Eurocopter AS355 is not included in the scheme, despite bearing a very Police like black and yellow livery.

The move puts an extra £51 million into the BTP annual budget – not to be sniffed at – but one hopes that BTP Public Affairs will be ready to assume ownership of the ever-rising number of complaints about helicopter noise, many of which are generated by police air operations. Between them, Plod and the air ambulance account for 60% of London helicopter traffic.

Previous BTP adventures in the air have not gone smoothly - a 2008 flirtation with miniature drone helicopters that "squirted" offenders with smart water was outlawed by the Civil Aviation Authority.

The chopper fleet gives the only national civil police force an interesting new line in Big Toys, sorry, an enhanced logistical capability.


Perhaps compensating for the loss of the erstwhile and much loved Cross Country Plod-Duff.

UPDATE: This from a Mr McAree...

Eye says: "The chopper fleet gives the only national civil police force an interesting new line in Big Toys, sorry, an enhanced logistical capability."

Sorry to be pedantic but there is another national civil police force out there. The Civil Nuclear Constabulary.

UPDATE: This from Our International Correspondent...

Civil Nuclear Constabulary – the Polonium Plod - may be every conspiracy theorist’s favourite spooky arm of the state, and there are 1000 of them costing £56 million a year, but even they do not claim, anywhere, to be a national civil force.

UPDATE: From a Mr Philip Sutton (former proprietor of Rail Express)

Forget the Cross Country 'Duff'...

Don't you remember this gem?



Good luck to my old press mates on Railway Magazine.

Transport quangos to be abolished

The government has announced that the following Quangos are to be abolished (with a bowler tip to the Local Democracy Blog):

Department for Transport (DfT):

• BRB (Residuary) Ltd
• Commission for Integrated Transport
• Cycling England
• Disabled Persons’ Transport Advisory Committee
• Railway Heritage Committee
• Renewable Fuels Agency

Whilst the following DfT sponsored quangos will be retained:

• British Transport Police Authority
• Civil Aviation Authority
• Directly Operated Railways Ltd
• London and Continental Railways Ltd
• Northern Lighthouse Board
• Office of Rail Regulation
• Passenger Focus/Passengers’ Council
• Traffic Commissioners and Deputies
• Trinity House Lighthouse Service

One or two surprises in the retained list!

UPDATE: These additional details from The Skip...

BRB (Residuary) Ltd No longer a Public Corporation - Abolish body and transfer functions to the Secretary of State for Transport. BRBR will be wound up once a programme of asset disposals is complete

British Transport Police Authority Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which should remain independent from Government

Civil Aviation Authority Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality

Commission for Integrated Transport No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and seek arrangement that delivers external analysis and strategic advice on cross-modal transport policy and realising benefits, at lower cost

Cycling England No longer an NDPB - Abolish body. We have announced a Local Sustainable Travel Fund and will explore ways of marshalling expert input on cycling issues, including to support the Fund

Disabled Persons' Transport Advisory Committee No longer an NDPB - Abolish body. We are exploring options for continuing to gain the disability advice we need through a more flexible, accountable structure

Directly Operated Railways Ltd Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which should remain independent of Government

London and Continental Railways Ltd Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which should remain independent of Government

Northern Lighthouse Board Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a technical function which should remain independent of Government

Office of Rail Regulation Retain - Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality

Passenger Focus/Passengers' Council Retain and substantially reform - Retain on grounds of performing a function which requires impartiality. Substantially reform to focus on core role of protecting passengers, while reducing cost to taxpayers

Railway Heritage Committee No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and functions. No equivalent protection applies to the heritage items of any other transport sector

So now you know!

UPDATE: This from a Mr West, currently residing in the North American Dominion,...

"Commission for Integrated Transport: No longer an NDPB - Abolish body and seek arrangement that delivers external analysis"

Doesn't that just mean using those over-priced consultants everyone keeps moaning about?

At least it will help boost private sector employment... (full disclosure: I was one of the those consultants before fleeing the country a few years ago).

Train Police Warn on Shopping-trolleys

Eye salutes our brave Boys in Blue!

This piece of super sleuthing from the British Transport Police website:

POLICE APPEAL AFTER TRAIN STRIKES ABANDONED SHOPPING TROLLEY – AXMINSTER

British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for information after a train struck an abandoned shopping trolley that had been left on the tracks near to Axminster.

Shocking news indeed!

Helpfully the BTP website also shows an image of exactly how disruptive the remains of a shopping trolley in the four foot can be!


But what's this?


Errr... chaps, exactly how many of these 'trolley' remains have you discovered?

Hello hello hello

Splendid policing from the BTP.

This from the Grauniad...

"He walked over and said: 'Do you know that young man?' I said no. He said: 'Fuck off, then. It's got nothing to do with you,'" Hinds said.

After insisting calmly that he was within his legal rights to remain, Hinds was first threatened with arrest and then marched across the station in handcuffs by two BTP policemen.

But why, when this alleged 'offence' took place in 2004, has it taken five years for Mr Hinds to receive justice?

Good effort though, errr... 'mislaying' the CCTV footage and all.

Not on!

This from Police Oracle...

A British Transport Police officer investigating reports of suspected cable thieves near Langley Mill railway station, Derbyshire has been seriously assaulted by one of the suspects.

The incident occurred around 00:30 hours on Sunday, 27 September, after police reacted to a report of intruders lineside in the vicinity of Milnhay Road, some 300 yards south of Langley Mill station.

Anyone with information relating to this incident is urged to contact British Transport Police urgently on Freefone 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

Elf 'n' safety - Gone mad!

This from the Hastings Observer...

A teenager has been charged with endangering safety on the railway after a woman's hair was set alight on a train.

!?!