London Bombings - 3 Years On http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/jul/07/july7.london?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront Do you think anything has changed in terms of security on the tube?
i cant speak from experience when it comes to the tube (as i havent been on it b4) but when it comes to security on public transport in the north east i have noticed very little change, i dont know what goes on behind the scenes but the only real difference i have noticed is 1 - see thru bin bags in metro station bins 2 - more metro staff (however one could argue this is only to combat fare evasion
I think Bob will be best suited to answer this as she lives in London I know last year when i went to London for the first time since the bombings i was nervous about travelling on the tube - some how that has disappeared
Nope, nothing has really changed day to day. Occasionally you get Police with sniffer dogs at tube stations, but I think that happened before anyway. There haven't been rubbish bins at tube stations for years, thanks to the old IRA bombing campaigns.
It was never about security on the tube though. Terrorists (however you define them) will find a way to scare people regardless of the measures put up to protect people. A few extra checks on the tubes wouldnt make any real difference in my opinion. I'd guess most Londoners would rather get on with their lives - than live in a constant state of fear. Within days of 7/7 it was business as usual on the tube.
Nexus is investing half a million pounds installing advanced digital CCTV so that the entire Metro fleet will have cameras on board for the first time ever. Only a third of Metro’s 90-strong fleet currently has cameras - but when the upgrades are completed every single train will be covered by high-quality CCTV. Nexus, the owner and operator of Metro, has already upgraded 30 trains and the rest of the carriages will be converted to digital recorders over the next 12 months in a rolling programme of work. The new cameras are a vast improvement on the older analogue recorders, which have already been replaced, and will improve passenger security and deter crime. The image quality on the digital system is much sharper and it is capable of storing hundreds of hours of footage that can be accessed using a computer. The cameras, which are tiny, are fitted into a small ‘pod’ that is attached to the ceiling of each Metro carriage. Should an incident occur on board a train then the police will be able to access the CCTV images using a lap top. They will be assured of obtaining picture perfect images that can be used as evidence in support of any prosecutions. Metro Commercial Director, Emma Holmes, said: “This is a major investment in camera technology that means for the first time ever our entire fleet will have CCTV on board. “This means improved security for passengers and will make it easier to pin point offenders should an incident occur on Metro. “The quality of the footage from the new cameras is outstanding compared to the old analogue system. It will make it even harder for trouble-makers to avoid getting caught. “Metro already has an excellent system of 600 digital CCTV cameras covering all stations and their approaches. This upgrade to digital cameras on board trains brings our fleet up to that same excellent standard of coverage.” Insp Alan Ritson, head of the Northumbria Police Metro Unit, said: “The quality of the images from the digital cameras will be a huge help to us and will allow us to track incidents more effectively. Extra CCTV also helps to reassure the public about travelling in safety.” Crime on the Metro system has fallen by 25 percent over the last three years. This downturn coincided with the £8.5m upgrade of CCTV at all 60 Metro stations on the network in 2003. An alcohol ban in 2004, which was this month taken up by the London Underground, has also played a part in reducing crime and anti-social behaviour on Metro. More staff than ever before patrol the Metro network, particularly at night, through Nexus’s 18 Travel Support Officers (TSOs). This is backed up by the Police Metro Unit, which consists of 27 constables and three sergeants. Nexus meets with the police on a weekly basis to target crime hot spots on the Metro and also the known trouble-makers. If passengers need to get in contact with the Metro Control Room during a journey, should an incident occur, they can do so by calling or sending in a text message on 0191 203 3666. In an emergency, passengers should always dial 999. probably the only other measure i have come across, bar the bin thing that dan mentioned. got stopped once of the police for taking photos but they were more than apologetic for it.
