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Friday 21 Nov 2003

DR KIM HOWELLS MP, MINISTER OF STATE FOR TRANSPORT UNVEILS CRIME PREVENTION TRAIN

Region & Route:

| Southern

Transport Minister Dr Kim Howells MP, yesterday unveiled a railway industry crime prevention train at Liverpool Street Station (see photos). The train, which operates out of London Liverpool Street, is sponsored by Network Rail, British Transport Police, WAGN, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.  It will be on the network for the next 12 months and will run to Chingford, Enfield Town and Hertford East. Dr Kim Howells MP said:             "Railway crime is an extremely serious problem for the whole country, endangering life and limb and costing the nation millions of pounds. I was pleased to see this imaginative joint effort to make people aware of just how urgent is the need to stamp out this crime and to identify and punish the perpetrators" Railway crime is a major problem for the industry, not only does it impact on performance, but also costs millions of pounds and most shockingly, can cost lives.  The Health and Safety Executive, this week, reported that there were 742 acts of vandalism on the national railway network from 1 April 2002 to 31 March 2003. Five children under 16 died while trespassing during this period. - more -Crime – 2 PC Bob Kelsey, British Transport Police said: “Every day I detain youths across the West Anglia route who break the law by taking short cuts and throwing items at trains.  Only a few weeks ago a brick was thrown through a Stansted Express cab window at Enfield Lock, injuring the driver.  This incident could have been fatal.  We need to get the message across that this behaviour is just not acceptable and the public should report it and not ignore it.” To confidentially report any acts of railway crime, please call the British Transport Police’s free telephone number on 0800 40 50 40.  Report it – don’t ignore it.