Cameras halve assaults on rail staff
Assaults on Virgin Trains staff have fallen by more than half since they have been issued with body cameras.
The company, which operates express services through Wellington, Telford and Shrewsbury, completed the issue of bodycams to 275 staff by March this year.
Since then, the number of assaults on staff have fallen month by month from 20 in March this year, to just six in September.
Virgin Trains, which holds the West Coast mainline franchise, is the first rail company to issue all its frontline staff with body cameras.
Cambridge University carried out an industry-wide survey which revealed that assaults fell by 47 per cent when staff were issued with cameras.
The cameras have also led to the conviction of a man who pleaded guilty in June to a public order offence following an incident on a train in Wolverhampton in April this year.
Virgin was one of five rail operators that took part in the Cambridge University trial, also working with British Transport Police (BTP) and the Rail Delivery Group.
Lewis Komodromou, a Revenue Protection Team Leader for Virgin Trains, was assaulted by a
passenger who had an invalid ticket at Euston station.
Mr Komodromou, who suffered a shoulder injury during the assault, said the cameras made staff feel much safer.
“My colleagues have said they feel much safer wearing the bodycams and they have more
confidence in situations which could escalate," he said.
“Since the bodycams have been introduced it has stopped lots of situations that could otherwise get out of
hand. The bodycams have also been great for passing on evidence needed for British Transport Police.”
Chief Inspector Lorna McEwan, of The British Transport Police, said: “The introduction of body
worn cameras is an important step along the road in helping to ensure the safety of rail staff and
passengers alike."
