Scottish Conservatives have challenged SNP Ministers to provide an assurance that officers currently employed in the British Transport Police in Scotland will retained specifically to provide policing of the rail network after the British Transport Police is merged into Police Scotland.
Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said:
“British Transport Police have huge respect amongst the public and therefore, the news that they are to be amalgamated as part of Police Scotland has been met with widespread criticism and suspicion. Sadly, like so much else we see from this SNP Scottish Government, the announcement has been made without any consultation. The opinions of the public and the rail industry do not appear to count for anything.
“The British Transport Police is one of the oldest police forces in the world; with the first railway police force established in 1830. It has a first class record and is the first police service to recruit female police officers, has been a leader in keeping the public safe and solving crime. The British Transport Police is the first police service to use technology to assist in solving crimes and was the first to use police dogs.
“One of their key duties is policing cross-border services, but now, officers will have to get off the train at the border and be replaced by officers from the single force in Scotland. Concern has been expressed that this loss of a dedicated force to police our rail network has been taken without thinking through the ramifications.
“The British Transport Police currently has 231 officers in Scotland based across a network of 11 offices within major railway stations. There is now real concern over the possible loss of British Transport Police Station Offices and the impact which this will have on the safety and security of passengers at stations and on the trains.
“Scotland has a number of strategic sites which link into the rail network which currently are protected by the British Transport Police. An assurance has been given that in these cases both the MOD Police and the Civil Nuclear Constabulary will continue to protect key sites and trains operating in and out of them.
“Above all, the public is concerned that this decision has been taken without any real discussion or debate, with many people expressing the concern that the move has been used by the SNP to make a political point. The safety and security of people when traveling on our trains have been assured to date by having a dedicated police force. Whether the amalgamation of the British Transport Police into Police Scotland will see the policing of our railway will remain a priority and response times to incidents will suffer is yet to be seen.
“It is concerning that SNP Ministers are not willing to provide an assurance that officers currently employed in the British Transport Police in Scotland will be retained specifically to provide policing of the rail network after the British Transport Police is merged into Police Scotland.”