The run up to Christmas is one of the busiest periods for the rail network. With customers hitting the shops at the last minute or travelling up and down the country to visit friends and relatives, trains and stations are particularly packed at this time of year. It’s a time for celebration, but also one that can be intensely stressful.
Throw in the revelry of works nights out and the obligatory boozy Christmas lunch, and you can see how cramped conditions and half-cut customers can lead to frustrations being vented at precisely the wrong people – rail staff.
Every year, the industry reminds customers that abuse towards its employees will not be tolerated. This year, however, these pleas are made in the shadow of the unnecessary death of a rail employee on the Elizabeth Line.
Jorge Ortega, 61, was taken to hospital with serious head injuries on Wednesday 4 December after British Transport Police (BTP) officers were called to Ilford station at about 20:50 to reports of a serious assault. He died in hospital on Friday 6 December. A 28-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with grievous bodily harm, affray and possession of a prohibited offensive weapon in a private place. He is due to appear in court on 7 January.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has called Mr Ortega’s death “absolutely tragic news” and added “nobody should have to face any violence at work – and certainly not something as shocking as this”.
The case painfully highlights the potentially devasting repercussions associated with unsociable behaviour. Now, more than ever, it is critical that steps are taken to raise awareness of this critical situation and efforts made to radically reduce such incidents.
Raising awareness
November 18-24 marked AntiSocial Behaviour Awareness Week. As part of the event, Govia Thames Railway’s (GTR) rail enforcement officers (REOs) teamed up with the British Transport BTP to talk to customers about antisocial behaviour and how to report incidents through the appropriate channels. The activity is part of the train operator’s new £2.5 million Antisocial Behaviour Improvement Plan, which aims to reduce abuse and disorder.
The initiative is fronted by Ross Evan who joined Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) as a rail enforcement officer in 2020. He is now GTR’s first-ever safety and security school engagement manager.
“I’ve seen how people in similar roles can make a lasting impact, and I want to be part of that change,” he says. “My job is one of several new positions GTR is investing in to improve our safety and security teams, because we want customers and colleagues to feel safe and enjoy travelling with us.
“It’s important we engage with the public so we can help people understand what antisocial behaviour is in order to create a better environment for everyone. Antisocial behaviour can take many forms, from violence, abuse and vandalism, to fare evasion and putting feet on seats. It’s important that behaviour that falls into these categories is properly reported, so we can work with BTP to address the issues.
In his new role, Ross is helping to deliver GTR’s Safety and Security education programme, which includes arranging school visits, roadshows and creating training materials.
“I’ve only been in the role for three months, but I’m already getting stuck into some exciting projects. A huge part of my job focuses on how we can better engage with young people and our customers, which means visiting schools and hosting engagement events. I’m also developing additional training for our colleagues so they’re more informed about how to deescalate conflict.”
Just like you
In an effort to boost staff safety at Birmingham New Street Station, Network Rail has employed a poster campaign prompting passengers to be polite and respectful to staff in the run up to the holiday season. The initiative aims to remind passengers that ‘Behind Every Uniform is Someone Just Like You’.
The campaign was created following 16 staff assaults being recorded over a six-month period, has been launched during the station’s busiest time of the year. Of the 16 recorded assaults, over half of those were physical assaults with the remainder being verbal assaults or threatening behaviour.
“We know the vast majority of passengers wouldn’t dream of behaving like this, but the statistics don’t lie,” says Elizabeth Graham, station manager at Birmingham New Street.
“As station staff, our priorities are to keep passengers moving safely. We appreciate that delays or a busy station can cause frustration but that is never an excuse for physical, verbal or threatening behaviour.
“This campaign reminds passengers that behind the uniforms there are real people, with real lives, who are there to help but who deserve to be treated with respect at work.”
As well as extra staff, a dedicated anti-social behaviour team is in place in the station, together with increased support from British Transport Police and St John Ambulance volunteers, to help keep staff and passengers safe.
The new posters displayed around the station show computer generated imagery to protect staff identity, but the information used is based on real-life stats and scenarios.
Respect our workers
Similar initiatives are being rolled out up and down the country. For instance, ScotRail has announced an expansion of its Travel Safe Team as the rail industry and Scottish Government join forces to renew their commitment to tackle abuse faced by rail workers.
The ‘Respect our rail workers’ campaign, launched by Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP alongside ScotRail, Network Rail, the BTP, and trade unions, pledges that partner organisations will work together to ensure staff feel more protected and supported when faced with unacceptable behaviour.
Coinciding with the Christmas party season, the campaign urges customers to consider the lasting impact that violence or abuse can have on someone and reminds everyone that there is a person behind every uniform.
The announcement of the Travel Safe Team expansion is a sign of ScotRail’s commitment to keeping people safe on the railway. The team works closely with BTP to support customers and colleagues in the promotion of a safe railway environment, both on train and in stations. Since September 2022, the Travel Safe Team has had thousands of interactions and interventions with the general public.
The Travel Safe Team is currently based in Paisley, from where it travels across Scotland to support colleagues and keep people safe. From January, an additional team of nine will be based in Haymarket station in Edinburgh, ensuring better coverage across the entire country.
ScotRail has a number of other proactive measures in place to improve safety on the rail network. This includes a £1.6 million investment to triple the number of body-worn cameras to tackle anti-social behaviour on Scotland’s Railway, and hiring more people to double staff late-night trains in known problem areas.
ScotRail Managing Director Joanne Maguire said: “The investment we are making to expand the Travel Safe Team shows ScotRail is fully committed to delivering a safe railway for everybody.
“We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse, whether verbal or physical, directed towards railway staff. Everyone has the right to go about their day in peace without fear of harassment or abuse.
“We’ll continue to work very closely with British Transport Police, Scottish Government, and the trade unions to ensure that Scotland’s Railway is a safe environment in which to work.
“Investments in new technology and a more visible staff presence will help keep staff and customers safe, and with this joint initiative, we renew our pledge that unacceptable behaviour on Scotland’s Railway, during the Christmas season and beyond, will not be tolerated.”
Unnecessary and unacceptable
The tragic events of the past few weeks emphasise the appalling behaviour that many rail staff face on a regular basis and, despite the best efforts of the industry, achieving a safer railway will require substantial investment, collaboration, and commitment.
Building a more secure working environment will take time and effort, but abuse of our staff must be stamped out for good.
Image credit: ScotRail
