Less than a year after Transport for London took control of the network ten London Overground stations have been awarded Secure Station status recognising measures implemented to hep reduce crime and improve public safety.
The stations were assessed by the British Transport Police before being accredited by the Department for Transport. During the assessment BTP inspectors looked at the design of the stations, management procedures including response to incidents and effective passenger communication and a survey of users, which must show that passengers feel secure.
A survey conducted when TfL took control showed that almost a quarter of passengers believed the service was too dangerous to use at that time.
Mayor of London Boris Johnson said the awards were “excellent news” adding they were “evidence that by focusing on details, such as careful design and better management, we can make a real difference to levels of safety for commuters”.
The announcement that TfL would take control of the surface routes was first made in February 2006.
In June 2007 it was announced that MTR Laing would operate services under what was described as a “tightly managed” contract which would see the Mayor of London set fares and revenue retained by TfL for reinvestment in the transport network.
Last November London TfL promised all stations on the network will be “cleaned and repaired by Spring 2008, and refurbished with more help points, CCTV, better lighting and customer information systems by the end of 2010.”
44 new trains have been ordered from Bombardier at a cost of £36m and are due to enter service on the North London Railway from 2009 and the East London Railway once open in 2010.
