Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, What steps she is taking to improve passenger safety on the railway network.

The Department works closely with rail industry and the British Transport Police (BTP) to ensure passenger safety on the rail network. Whilst the most recent Transport Focus survey (10^th January) shows that 80% of the public rate their personal security positively when travelling by rail we are not complacent. BTP use a range of policing techniques including overt and covert patrols at hot spot locations, regular high-visibility patrols across the network and use internal and external intelligence to assist in targeting locations.

BTP also encourage passengers and rail staff to report crime and suspicious activity via 61016, online or by calling 999 in an emergency.

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR), who are responsible for enforcing statutory health and safety legislation on the railways, continue to work closely with duty holders to deliver improvements in overall system safety, so far as is reasonably practicable. More generally, the Government is committed to maintaining a high standard of safety across the rail network.