British Transport Police Following Privatisation Of British Rail

EDM number 925 in 1992-93, proposed by Andrew Mackinlay on 24/11/1992.

That this House abhors the idea, mooted in the consultation document 'Future Status of the British Transport Police' that following franchising or privatisation of British Rail 'private sector operators should be permitted to make alternative arrangements' for some of those functions currently fulfilled by the much valued and highly regarded British Transport Police; rejects the notion, detailed in the document, that there is 'a distinction between law and order services undertaken by BTP and their general security role'; considers that the whole tenor of the document is deeply offensive to all ranks of British Transport Police with its references to private operators being able to contract out and obtain 'better value for money'; believes that passengers, managers and staff of the railways will universally condemn the contemplation of privatising any police functions; and knows that the public, particularly women and those using stations and trains late at night, demand an increase in the number of Transport Police to safeguard the public from accidents and crime on the railways.

This motion has been signed by a total of 53 MPs.