Rail safety to be reviewed after practice stabbings, says minister | EUROtoday

There can be a evaluate of rail safety within the UK following a mass stabbing on a practice, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has mentioned.

A person has been charged with 10 counts of tried homicide after the knife assault on a Doncaster to London service on Saturday night time.

Alexander instructed the BBC the federal government would “review security arrangements” and reply “swiftly and in a proportionate way”.

But she didn’t assume airport scanning expertise “is the right solution for stations in the UK”.

Questions about passenger security on the UK’s rail community have been raised after a a black British nationwide, who boarded a practice at Peterborough station, attacked passengers with a knife.

Eleven folks had been handled in hospital together with a member of practice workers who is claimed to be in a “critical but stable condition”.

Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough has been charged with 10 counts of tried homicide, one rely of precise bodily hurt and one rely of possession of a bladed article, British Transport Police (BTP) mentioned on Monday morning.

Alexander instructed BBC Breakfast that BTP officers would enhance seen patrols at mainline stations over the approaching days “because I do understand that people will want to feel reassured following what happened”.

“Thankfully incidents like this on the public transport network are very, very rare,” she added.

She mentioned the rail community within the UK was a “low crime environment” and for each a million passenger journeys solely 27 crimes had been dedicated.

Asked what steps the federal government would take to enhance safety on trains, she mentioned: “We are investing in improved CCTV in stations and the Home Office will soon be launching a consultation on more facial recognition technology which could be deployed in stations as well.”

Asked about baggage scanners just like these utilized in some main practice stations overseas she mentioned: “At the moment that type of airport scanning technology I don’t think is the right solution for stations in the UK.”

Andy Trotter, former British Transport Police Chief Constable instructed BBC Breakfast Saturday’s assault illustrates “people’s real concerns about being trapped with an offender or with someone causing disorder”.

“I hope this results in a broader review of security, the need for more British Transport Police, the need for more security from the rail companies themselves.”