Media centre

Monday 30 Apr 2012

NETWORK RAIL GIVES SUPPORT FOR SCRAP LEGISLATIVE REFORM AS CABLE THEFT INCIDENTS ON LNW DROP 23% BUT PASSENGER MISERY CONTINUES

Region & Route:

• Crimes down to 150 incidents from 196 in previous year
• Disruption to passengers still more than 1,531 hours
• Full legislative reform believed to be only way to stem the tide

Cable theft crimes on Network Rail’s London North Western (LNW) route in 2011/12 are down to 150 incidents from 196 the previous year. However compensation costs continue to rise from £2.8m to £3.2m because the thefts have spread to busier and more complex parts of the network.

Jo Kaye is Network Rail’s managing director for the route which stretches from London Euston to the Scottish border and includes the Chiltern line from Marylebone to Birmingham. Mrs Kaye said: “The LNW route has seen a reduction in the total number of incidents so it is encouraging to see that the hard work of hundreds of people is having effect in stemming the tide of crimes affecting rail services.

“However metal theft continues to cost the railway and the economy millions of pounds every year through missed appointments and delayed freight deliveries. This is unacceptable and it is clear that significant changes to the law are the only way to significantly reduce this problem.”

The government has indicated that cash transactions for scrap will be outlawed. Network Rail and the wider rail industry are united in calling for full reform of the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act. This needs to include:

· an updated, fully funded licensing scheme to replace the voluntary registration currently in place.

· magistrates should also have the power to impose restrictions upon, and ultimately enforce the closure of, yards that fail to keep to the law.

· police powers to enter, inspect and if necessary close scrap dealers are essential. At present they may only enter registered premises with a warrant.

· a requirement for scrap metal dealers to require proof of identity and to keep adequate records about their customers.

· Additional requirements on itinerant metal dealers’ vehicle licences to enable those operating outside the law to be impounded.

The LNW route has invested millions of pounds protecting the railway – including investing in covert cameras in hotspot areas and other technology such as forensic liquid, funding additional security staff and working closely with British Transport Police officers to bring offenders to justice. This has combined with public support in reporting criminals and improved sentencing in courts.

Mrs Kaye added, “The public can be our eyes and ears on the network and I would like to thank everyone for their continued support reporting suspicious activity both on the railway and at disreputable scrap dealers. Everything possible is being done to stop these thieves but I firmly believe that the law needs substantial change in order to take away the easy market for illegal scrap.”

“Compensation cost to Network Rail from cable theft is actually up year on year. This is largely down to the locations the thieves are targeting and the amount of damage being caused in incidents which is increasing the length of time it takes to fix an incident, making it more expensive.”

Assistant Chief Constable Alan Pacey, of British Transport Police, added: “BTP is committed to tackling metal theft, particularly those thefts which have a direct impact on the running of the railway.

“We have officers dedicated to dealing with metal theft and, during 2011, arrested more than 1,000 people in connection with these crimes. In the past few months convicted metal thieves have been jailed for a total of more than 58 years thanks to British Transport Police investigations.

“We will continue to disrupt and detect thieves who target the railway and will not hesitate to put them before the courts and seek the strongest possible sanctions.”