To show their dedication and commitment to encouraging safer rail travel to Scotland, ScotRail has expanded its Travel Safe team.

The Travel Safe Team works closely with local law enforcement firms, though they usually work with the British Transport Police (BTP).

Together, they can assist in supporting the security of both staff and passengers across the rail system.

They are presence is constantly visible daily at major railway stations and during times when major events take place, which see a sharp increase in passenger numbers.

The nine new members will be based in Edinburgh at Haymarket, increasing staff members form 27 to 36 equating to a 33% rise in this Travel Safe Team, they will expand their operations at Haymarket station and onboard train services heading east from the Scottish capital.

Established in 2021, the ScotRail’s Travel Safe Teams have helped keep passengers and staff safe across Scotland, their presence at stations and on trains deters potential criminals looking to commit crimes on the rail network.

Their work is vital, especially when things do get out of control between passengers and between passengers and staff.

A £1.6 million investment has seen an introduction of additional body-worn cameras are now a common sight on numerous ScotRail staff members.

They are extremely useful in gathering evidence during times of anti-social behaviour, while the rest of the investment went into hiring more staff to cover additional shifts on late night turns at stations and on trains.

To help catch criminals and assist staff members, ScotRail also has the largest CCTV network across a public transport railway system in Britain.

ScotRail invested £2 million in this system, covering over 360 stations.

The new cameras at major Scottish stations use intelligent video analytics to track certain individuals, if need be, across the network, providing key evidence for investigations.

Following a rise in abuse towards ScotRail staff members, in December 2023 Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP, launched the ‘Respect our rail workers’ campaign alongside rail companies, trade unions and the BTP which reminds passengers to think twice and consider the implications when planning to carryout violence and abuse towards staff members.

Since then, Fiona Hyslop MSP also spent a day with new Safe Staff members at Edinburgh Waverley, observing their work firsthand and how they maintain a safe environment at the station.

“I am delighted to see the new members of the Travel Safe Team join ScotRail and it really helps to demonstrate our commitment to delivering a safe railway for everyone.

The team does a fantastic job every day to promote a safe environment both on trains and in our stations, and the new team members will help to deliver even more.

We are continuing to invest across the business in measures to improve safety, with our CCTV network, body cameras, and enhanced staff presence, all playing a critical role in making Scotland’s Railway a welcoming place for everyone who uses it.”

Phil Campbell, ScotRail Customer Operations Director