Health & Safety Matters
Safe staffing levels
Rail unions RMT and TSSA have called for safe staffing on trains and stations as new British Transport Police (BTP) figures show another surge in violent crime on the railways.
In total, the BTP recorded 68,313 crimes in 2018-19, up from 60,867 on the previous 12 months. Violent crime increased by 17% and there was an 8% increase in sexual offences.
The new figures came days after RMT members at South Western Railway took four days of strike action in the latest phase of its long-running dispute over passenger safety and the critical role of the guard.