RPSGp1301
RAIL PERSONAL SECURITY GROUP
2013 BUSINESS PLAN
Part 1 - Introduction
Part 2 – Achievements against 2012 Business Plan
Part 3 - Priority tasks for 2013
22 January 2013
Rail Personal Security Group
Chairman; Martin Grier, Southern Railway
Secretary: Alan Davies, RSSB 020 3142 5371, alan.davies@rssb.co.uk
Angel Square, 1 Torrens Street, London EC1V 1NY
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Part 1 - INTRODUCTION
This plan is in three parts. Part 1 is an introduction, which explains the role of the
Rail Personal Security Group (RPSG). Part 2 outlines achievements against the
priority tasks in the 2012 plan and Part 3 sets out the tasks that will be given priority
during 2013.
The RPSG is a cross-industry tasking group set up to raise the profile of personal
security on the railway and to reduce the impact of assaults on passengers and all
those who work on the railway. To fulfil this role the group will;
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Identify and share good practice in countering the risks from violence towards
staff and customers
Provide guidance and tools for local managers
Commission appropriate national campaigns
Contribute to the content and objectives of the Railway Strategic Safety Plan
and the British Transport Police Annual Policing Plan
Recommend topics suitable for research and development by RSSB
Act as a stakeholder for elements of the RSSB research programme
concerned with personal security at stations and on-train.
Lobby Government and other agencies to adopt appropriate policies relating
to anti-social behaviour, violence and conflict on the railway.
The group will adopt the approach of the “5 Es” to build a framework of measures for
the industry to achieve longer term improvements in personal security. The 5 Es
are;
Enabling
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The work of the RPSG will be co-ordinated with other relevant industry
partnership groups, particularly those operating under the Community Safety
Steering Group.
All industry wide initiatives and activities should be properly co-ordinated
between stakeholder organisations and external partners.
As far as reasonably practicable, each RPSG partner organisation will make
available an appropriate level of resources and support to implement any
agreed national strategy or initiatives.
The railway industry has adopted common definitions and processes for
reporting and recording violence towards rail staff under the headings Abuse,
Threat and Assault. These are laid out in Staff Assault: Reporting and
Recording Assaults on Rail Staff Good Practice Guide.
RPSG members will promote the need for staff to report all incidents of abuse,
threats or assault using their recognised company procedures.
RPSG will promote the effective identification and analysis of the risks to staff
and public through recognised problem solving methods.
RPSG will work to more accurately identify the training needs of rail staff that
face a risk of violence in their work.
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RPSG will make effective use of their meetings to share good practice by
inviting appropriate stakeholder presentations.
Members of RPSG will be encouraged to disseminate the outcome of
meetings within other companies of their owning group.
RPSG will identify, promote and assist in a number of specific initiatives
aimed at improving passenger protection.
Education
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When developing and promoting public and staff personal security awareness
and education campaigns, the RPSG will seek to align these with the
industry’s wider campaigns to ensure coherence, including campaigns run by
the British Transport Police.
RPSG will help co-ordinate national campaigns against staff and passenger
assaults.
RPSG members will contribute to rail industry focus groups and workshops as
appropriate and necessary.
Engineering
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RPSG will exercise a stakeholder role for appropriate elements of the RSSB
research and development programme, particularly in relation to personal
security issues of abuse, threat and assault:
o Train and station safety and security issues
o Violence and anti-social behaviour on trains and stations, including
football related violence and disorder
o Complementary policing issues
o Use of CCTV for improving personal security
Enforcement
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RPSG will encourage the BTP to maintain a high priority on the issue of
violence towards staff and public in the BT Police Annual Plans and that the
allocation of police resources is proportionate to the safety risk.
RPSG will seek to identify and promote good practice methods for the
identification of violent offenders e.g. use of DNA kits for spittle offences.
RPSG members will monitor the use of Fixed Penalty Notices within the
railway environment in order to explore their potential for improving personal
security.
RPSG members will review the effectiveness and use of Anti-Social
Behaviour Orders and Dispersal Notices issued under the Anti-Social
Behaviour Act 2003 (including the Transport for London Bill provisions that
may confer a right to apply for ASBOs independent of the police).
RPSG will monitor the Government’s intention to review or replace this
legislation.
RPSG will work to increase awareness by the judiciary, public prosecutors
and police of assaults on rail staff, and the consequences for the rail industry,
so that prosecution decisions and sentencing of offenders act as a deterrent
to others.
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RPSG members will continuously explore opportunities to improve security
through complementary policing arrangements.
RPSG will promote and, where possible, facilitate effective relationships with
community based crime and disorder reduction partnerships where beneficial.
RPSG will promote the effective use of railway by-laws to combat anti-social
behaviour.
Evaluation
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Evaluation provides a means of measuring the success of initiatives against
an established baseline.
A continuous process of evaluation is an essential component of all enabling,
education, engineering and enforcement measures outlined above so that the
most practical and cost effective solutions are identified.
All national and local level partnerships and initiatives to improve personal
security will be encouraged to evaluate their outcome.
All presentations to RPSG will be required to explain how evaluation is being
incorporated into the work described
The RPSG will provide a co-ordinating, communication and monitoring role. The
RPSG will also initiate or undertake specific tasks in its own right.
Governance
Safety management across the industry has been monitored in recent times by three
high level groups, the Community Safety Steering Group (CSSG), Operations Focus
Group (OFG) and Safety Policy Group (SPG).
The purpose of the CSSG is to monitor industry performance in community safety
risk areas and identify evidence-based improvement. This includes personal
security of staff and passengers. The RPSG currently acts under the direction and
endorsement of the CSSG.
RSSB is currently conducting a project of modernisation of safety co-operation. This
project will bring the roles of these higher level groups together into a single meeting,
the System Safety Review Group (SSRG). CSSG has a disposition plan and will
meet for the final time on 14 February 2013. The governance of RPSG will then
switch to the new SSRG.
RSSB will regularly carry out a review of the way that the RPSG is working and
report to the SSRG.
Membership
The RPSG chairman is Martin Grier, Head of Revenue Protection & Security of
Southern Railway and each of the Train Operating Company owning groups is
represented, Stagecoach, Arriva, National Express, Virgin, First Group, Govia,
Serco/Nedrail. The group also includes; Network Rail, RSSB, Dept for Transport,
London Underground, DBahn/MTR(HK), British Transport Police, British Transport
Police Authority, Office of Rail Regulation, Unions (RMT, TSSA), Passenger Focus,
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Confederation of Passenger Transport and Home Office (Crime Reduction and
Community Safety Unit).
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PART 2 – Achievements against 2012 Business Plan
Listed below are the achievements against the priority tasks contained in the 2012
RPSG Business Plan.
TASK
1. STAFF
“OWNER”
CURRENT STATUS
1(a) Conflict
management
Alan Davies
A drama-based DVD based on real incidents, has
being prepared as SWeRVe II. This is for use on
company conflict management courses.
The DVD was trailed at the Community Safety
Forum, 17 March 2011. All filming now complete
and trainers’ notes complete.
DVD distributed from July 2011.
A questionnaire was sent to companies that had
received SWeRVe II seeking their views on how
the DVD had been used. Six companies
responded from 19 companies surveyed. Over
1700 people from those companies had so far
seen Swerve II (February 2012). The DVD is
being used in different forums across the
companies, including training sessions, safety
briefings and induction courses, in sessions of
from 30 minutes up to two hours with discussion.
A further evaluation is to be conducted.
COMPLETE
2. REPORTING & RECORDING INCIDENTS
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2(a) Provide data to
RSSB and
assist rail businesses
BTP
understand the initiating
factors of assaults and
accurately assess the
risk of violence towards
staff and passengers.
Provide data of incidents and trends for verbal
abuse, threats and assaults.
Work with TRUST and SMIS staff to include a
‘flag’ or code that can be assigned in order to
breakdown the attribution for train delays due to
assaults. Such flags might include;
alcohol, revenue/ticket disputes, travelling
football supporters, service disruption/train
delays, hate crime, repeat victims.
Data are reported to each RPSG from
SMIS – Rail risk database
BTP – Crime database
2(b) Share good
practice
Consider how TOCSs
can make better use of
the data presented
All group
members
Members of RPSG are encouraged to
disseminate RPSG meeting notes to other TOCs
in their owning groups to share good practice
The Community Safety Resource Centre Website
was updated and re-launched October 2012
www.railcommunitysafety.com
www.opsweb.co.uk
3. NATIONAL POLICY
3(a) Lobby to raise
All group
awareness on impact of members
assaults; influence
sentencing policy with
particular concern on
re-offending, if current
sentences are not
acting as a deterrent.
Identify ways to influence policy and justice
system (CPS, SGC, Magistrates (Clerks) to
ensure sentences act as a deterrent to violence.
The Government has reviewed this area of policy
and published a White Paper on Putting victims
first – more effective responses to anti-social
behaviour published Cm 8367, May 2012
http://www.officialdocuments.gov.uk/document/cm83/8367/8367.pdf
RPSG will continue to work with other industries
to raise the profile of violence against public
workers.
4. RESEARCH
4(a) T943, Addressing
crime and disorder
through planning and
design.
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Aqeel Janjua
(RSSB
project
manager)
RSSB contributed to a study by CIRIA
(Construction Industry Research and Information
Association). Report published August 2011,
launch event held 26 January 2012.
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COMPLETE
4(b) T954 An
evaluation of personal
security measures for
GB rail
Jill Moore
(RSSB
project
manager)
Presented to RPSG, May by Institute of
Transport Studies, University of Leeds. Results
from the Crime Model include:
 Secure Station accreditation is associated
with 24% fewer incidences of theft from a
person, relative to non-accreditation
 Automatic ticket barriers are associated
with 32% more incidences of commercial
theft, relative to the absence of such
barriers
 The presence of self-service ticket
machines is associated with 61% fewer
incidences of commercial theft, relative to
the absence of such machines
 Part-time stations experience an estimated
1044% more incidences of theft from a
person relative to unmanned stations
 Secure Station accreditation is associated
with lower levels of theft from a person,
criminal damage and vehicle crime
 In the absence of Secure Station
accreditation, SCP accreditation has no
discernible influence upon vehicle crime
If the two schemes are combined, then the
collective impact on crime is greater than that of
Secure Stations in isolation. A planning tool was
developed to support business cases for
investment in personal safety.
Published August 2012.
RSSB presented the findings of the study to DfT’s
Public Transport Crime Liaison Group.
4(c) Review previous
research on public
behaviour, crowd
management, major
events etc.
Jill Moore
(RSSB
project
manager)
Preparation for London Olympics 2012 and
potential for assaults/personal crime.
RPSG recorded the success of railway operations
during the Olympics and Paralympics and
thanked everyone for their sterling efforts to
contributing to making the games a success.
COMPLETE
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4(d) Recruitment –
getting the right people
into the right jobs, for
dealing with the public.
How does the industry
test skills and
competences to recruit
and deploy suitable
people into public
facing rôles.
Alan Davies/
Sian Evans
RPSG is considering how companies can test the
skills and competences needed to deal with the
public when recruiting front line staff. The group
is aware of research projects T869 Non-technical
skills for rail staff and T948 Driver Selection,
where the recruitment assessment methods have
principles that can be transferred to public facing
roles.
Research other industries.
Working with RSSB Human factors team and the
ATOC HR group.
4(e) Under-reporting of
personal security
incidents:
Jill Moore
(RSSB
project
manager)
RSSB reviewed and summarised DfT research
into multipliers. Decided no further action
required at present.
COMPLETE
4(f) Evaluation of
complementary
policing:
Jill Moore
(RSSB
project
manager)
Proposal from Rail Development Group and
ATOC Policing Forum for new research project
on complementary policing, T1021 Getting the
most from complementary policing for rail; a
guide to good practice, following on from T318,
Complementary policing.
this project is in development. The sponsor
group will be the RDG Police and Security Group.
4(g) Communicating
good news about
personal security:
Jill Moore
(RSSB
project
manager)
Social media discussion at August 2011 meeting
of RPSG. Then specification for research into
youth perceptions, decision making and how to
communicate with young people will be prepared.
RPSG decided not to proceed with this project.
5. ENGAGING OTHER STAKEHOLDER AND AGENCY GROUPS
5(a) Management of
football fans.
Should other groups be
considered for particular
attention because of a
history or reputation for
poor behaviour?
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Maurice
Wilsdon/
Kerry Dolan
RPSG will continue to contribute to the Rail
Football Forum (RFF). Paula Durrans as chair.
BTP presented an update of the work of the Rail
Football Forum at January 2013 meeting.
Football crime reduced from football season
2010-11 to 2011-12, but has increased for 201213. BTP is establishing a single point of contact
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(SPOC) with each TOC for football related
incidents
BTP will launch a telephone/text number for
public to report (non-emergency) ASB.
BTP is conducting a survey of the work of the
RFF.
CONTINUING ACTIVITY
6. EVALUATION
6(a) Promote
All group
systematic evaluation
members
of initiatives introduced
to mitigate and manage
risk of assaults on staff
and passengers.
All companies are encouraged to evaluate the
outcome of the partnerships and initiatives they
put in place to improve personal security.
All presentations to RPSG will be required to
describe how evaluation of initiatives is being
addressed to show a positive result in reducing
the impact of violence, abuse and threats against
staff and passengers.
CONTINUING ACTIVITY
PART 3 – Priority Tasks for 2013
The key priority tasks that the RPSG intends to undertake during 2013 are listed in
the following table.
TASK
1. STAFF
“OWNER”
CURRENT STATUS
1(a) Conflict
management
Alan Davies
Provide further training opportunities and
resources for rail companies.
Evaluate use of SWeRVe II.
1(b) Repeat victims and Alan Davies
false reporting
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Identify why some people are prone to suffer
repeat instances of assault, bullying or
intimidation and ways to address this through
- staff training
- identify traits likely to make staff become
repeat victims
- definition of repeat victim
- role of the supervisor
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- company policy for dealing with this
Identify good practice.
Connection to hate crime
Questionnaire
2. REPORTING & RECORDING INCIDENTS
2(a) Provide data to
RSSB and
assist rail businesses
BTP
understand the initiating
factors of assaults and
accurately assess the
risk of violence towards
staff and passengers.
Provide data of incidents and trends for verbal
abuse, threats and assaults.
2(b) Share good
practice
Consider how TOCSs
can make better use of
the data presented
Members of RPSG are encouraged to share
good practice
ONGOING ACTIVITY
All group
members
All members of RPSG encouraged to make use
of the CS Resource Centre and Ops Web to
bring RPSG initiatives to the attention of front line
staff and to disseminate RPSG meeting notes to
other TOCs in their owning groups.
www.railcommunitysafety.com
www.opsweb.co.uk
3. NATIONAL POLICY
3(a) Lobby to raise
All group
awareness on impact of members
assaults; influence
sentencing policy with
particular concern on
re-offending, if current
sentences are not
acting as a deterrent.
Identify ways to influence policy and justice
system (CPS, SGC, Magistrates (Clerks) to
ensure sentences act as a deterrent to violence.
Monitor the introduction of new legislation
resulting from the White Paper, Putting victims
first – more effective responses to anti-social
behaviour published Cm 8367
http://www.officialdocuments.gov.uk/document/cm83/8367/8367.pdf
Work with other industries to raise the profile of
violence against public workers.
4. RESEARCH
4(a) Recruitment –
getting the right people
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Alan Davies/
Sian Evans
RPSG is considering how companies can test the
skills and competences needed to deal with the
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into the right jobs, for
dealing with the public.
How does the industry
test skills and
competences to recruit
and deploy suitable
people into public
facing rôles.
public when recruiting front line staff. The group
is aware of research projects T869 Non-technical
skills for rail staff and T948 Driver Selection,
where the recruitment assessment methods have
principles that can be transferred to public facing
roles.
Research other industries.
Working with RSSB Human factors team and the
ATOC HR group.
4(b) Evaluation of
complementary
policing:
Michael
Woods
(RSSB
project
manager)
Proposal from Rail Development Group and
ATOC Policing Forum for new research project
on complementary policing, T1021 Getting the
most from complementary policing for rail; a
guide to good practice, following on from T318,
Complementary policing
Discussed at a meeting of ATOC’s Policing
Forum on 11 January 2013. It was confirmed
that there is an industry desire for the scope of
the proposed Complementary Policing project to
be extended so as to consider how all industry
resources contribute to policing and security.
5. ENGAGING OTHER STAKEHOLDER AND AGENCY GROUPS
5(a) Management of
football fans.
Maurice
Wilsdon/
Kerry Dolan
RPSG will continue to contribute to the Rail
Football Forum (RFF). Paula Durrans as chair.
Presentation from BTP at RPSG January 2013
meeting.
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5(b) Policies for running
dry trains
Hold a workshop discuss the benefits and
practicalities running of dry trains.
Invite Scotrail and LUL to give presentations on
their alcohol policies.
5(c) Railway bylaws
Investigate the use of railway bylaws to control
alcohol consumption on trains
 build on the recommendations from T704
research
 prepare business case for follow up
work/research if necessary.
5(d) Ticket validity for
late night travel
Investigate the problems arising when people use
timed tickets after missing the last train home.
Discussed at RPSG November 2012.
5(a) Should other
groups be considered
for particular attention
because of a history or
reputation for poor
behaviour?
6. EVALUATION
6(a) Promote
All group
systematic evaluation
members
of initiatives introduced
to mitigate and manage
risk of assaults on staff
and passengers.
All companies are encouraged to evaluate the
outcome of the partnerships and initiatives they
put in place to improve personal security.
All presentations to RPSG will be required to
describe how evaluation of initiatives is being
addressed to show a positive result in reducing
the impact of violence, abuse and threats against
staff and passengers.
CONTINUING ACTIVITY
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