DETAILS have been announced of a new committee being set up to oversee railway policing in Scotland.
The Scottish Railways Policing Committee is being created after repeated delays to a planned merger of Police Scotland and British Transport Police (BTP), initially due to take place in April.
Legislation was passed in 2017 to clear a path for integration – despite criticism from opposition parties, unions and others – and the Scottish Government says this is under review.
However, Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf previously said it might never be enacted and all options for the devolution of railway policing would be re-examined.
READ MORE: Justice Secretary weighs up options as police merger proposals stall
Now a sub-committee of the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA), which oversees the BTP, is being created to scrutinise railway policing performance in Scotland.
The Scottish Railways Policing Committee will be chaired by Scotland’s member of the BTPA, Bill Matthews, and will include his colleagues and members of Police Scotland oversight body the Scottish Police Authority (SPA). The Scottish Government said the new committee will improve accountability and give the SPA a greater role in railway policing.
The committee’s responsibilities include reviewing and reporting on the planning and performance of railway policing in Scotland. It will also analyse and report on co-operation between BTP and Police Scotland and scrutinise BTP’s work with other organisations and the public.
Yousaf said: “This is a complex piece of work and represents a great step forward for the accountability and transparency of railway policing in Scotland. It will also ensure the continued safety and security of the travelling public.”
BTPA chairman Ron Barclay-Smith added: “A great deal of work has gone into finding an adequate solution for the management and scrutiny of rail policing in Scotland that works best for all involved, including police staff, officers, passengers and rail staff.”
The committee’s first meeting is expected to be held in early autumn.
TSSA transport union general secretary Manuel Cortes said the committee’s creation was “excellent news for passengers and staff alike”.
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