LNER has released footage of train crews being verbally abused, threatened and intimidated in a bid to keep the railway safe.
The video clips, filmed on staff body cameras, have been shared during Rail Safety Week, an industry-wide initiative which aims to put safety at the forefront of people’s minds.
LNER has introduced 180 body worn cameras to provide additional support for colleagues faced with aggressive and threatening behaviour.
Over the past year, the cameras have been worn more than 12,000 times by teams on trains and at stations.
While LNER Azuma trains are fitted with high quality onboard CCTV, body worn cameras can provide an additional insight into an incident.
When activated, the cameras can capture photographs and record clear visual and audio footage, which can be used by British Transport Police to support further investigation and possible legal proceedings.
Watch the footage here:
Phil, a Train Manager for LNER who features in one of the clips, said:
“I speak to hundreds of customers every day. Most of the time working onboard is enjoyable and the camera is the last thing on my mind.
“However, on occasions where I have been confronted with a challenging situation, I find activating the camera very often calms things down, provides reassurance for other customers, and also helps with any instances which may need further investigation.”
Warrick Dent, Safety and Operations Director for LNER, said:
“Thousands of customers travel with us each day, and while instances of abusive or threatening behaviour towards our teams are rare, they are never acceptable.
“Body worn cameras are just one of the ways we support our teams who work hard to help make sure our customers enjoy the best possible journey and feel safe when travelling with us.”
Since introducing the cameras, teams have experienced around four to five incidents each month which have been flagged for further investigation.
Inspector Ben Jones, from the Workplace Violence Coordination Unit in the British Transport Police, said:
“The impact body worn video has had on keeping rail staff safe and prosecuting criminals cannot be understated.
“Body worn video helps to accelerate the judicial process for victims, provide transparency in cases, and assist rail staff in the many challenging situations they face every single day.
“Wearing body worn video decreases staff assault rates by nearly 50 percent.
“We are dedicated to creating a hostile environment for criminals on the railways, and the continued rollout of BWV across rail operators can only further this ambition.”
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