South West Trains, a train operating company that is owned by Stagecoach Group in the United Kingdom, has had more stations on its routes gain secure station status.
An additional 24 of the company’s stations have been reaccredited for the scheme by the British Transport Police, in association with the Department for Transport, taking its total number of accredited stations to 103. To qualify, a station must show that it has taken measures to improve its security, and give reassurance to passengers and employees that it is consistently making efforts to deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
The newly accredited stations include Ash Vale, Camberley, Chertsey, Claygate, Earley, Gillingham (Dorset), Hampton, Hampton Wick, Hersham, Hook, Liphook, London Road Guildford, Martins Heron, Motspur Park, New Milton, Oxshott, Poole, Queenstown Road Battersea, Shepperton, Sunbury, Sunningdale, Swanwick, Thames Ditton, Virginia Water and Weymouth.
Commenting on the achievements, the head of security and revenue protection for South West Trains – Network Rail Alliance, Matthew Winnie, said, ‘It’s great news that these additional 24 stations have been re-accredited and we’re pleased that so many passengers can continue to enjoy a safe journey with us. It’s even more pleasing that our passengers are noticing the improvements we are making. The most recent independent national passenger survey demonstrated that passenger satisfaction with personal security has increased by 4 percent since the previous survey. We will continue to work with the British Transport Police to make sure our stations and train services are as safe and secure as possible for the millions of passengers who use them every year.’
