Rail Unions Demand Security Review Following Cambridgeshire Train Stabbing
Following a stabbing incident on an LNER train in Cambridgeshire, rail unions are calling for an urgent review of security measures and increased support for rail staff. The incident, which occured on Thursday, involved a passenger attacking others before being subdued by a fellow passenger whose actions British Transport Police (BTP) described as “heroic” and life-saving.
The Rail,Maritime and Transport (RMT) union,led by General Secretary Eddie Dempsey,is seeking “urgent meetings with government,rail employers and police” to establish “the strongest possible support,resources and robust procedures.” Similarly, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) General Secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, has urged LNER and the government “to act swiftly to review security, to support the affected workers, and to ensure nothing like this happens again.”
While onboard violence is rare – the incident is reminiscent of a 2019 fatal stabbing on a train in Guildford, Surrey – the confined habitat of train carriages presents unique security challenges. Currently, only Eurostar at London St Pancras employs airport-style security measures.
Experts acknowledge that implementing widespread airport-style security across the rail network would likely be impractical due to potential delays, passenger inconvenience, and significant financial costs. A former chief constable of the British Transport Police, Andy Trotter, stated, “It just isn’t going to happen,” but suggested increased investment in areas like facial recognition, random searches, and staffing levels – both police and railway personnel - could improve safety.
The call for increased resources comes amidst a backdrop of budgetary pressures on the rail industry. The BTP is funded by the railway, and successive governments have sought savings, leading to attempted cuts to police budgets, proposals to abolish ticket offices, increased driver-only operation, and changes to station staffing – all of which have been opposed by unions.
Recent figures released last week show a 7% rise in recorded assaults on the railways, reaching an annual high of 10,231. While the Office of Rail and Road data includes a significant proportion (80%) of harassment or common assault, including threatening behavior, the overall number of passenger journeys last year exceeded 1.7 billion.
Despite the relatively low statistical risk per journey, rail staff report widespread fear of attack. A 2024 report by the Rail Safety and Standards Board revealed that 2,793 rail workers were injured or traumatised by assault or abuse in the previous year. A TSSA survey of its members found that 40% had experienced incidents involving weapons.
Eslamdoust emphasized the link between staffing and safety, stating, “Safety and staffing go hand in hand. You cannot talk about safety while cutting back on the very people who keep others safe.”
