Lib Dems plan £20m expansion for railway policing

11.09.42pm UTC (GMT +0000) Sun 29th Jan 2006

Eltham South Lib Dem campaigner Michael Lewis supports plans to expand railways policing

Eltham South Liberal Democrat campaigner Michael Lewis has welcomed plans unveiled by the London Liberal Democrats to spend an extra £20 million on policing London's trains and stations.

The proposals are included in the London Assembly LibDems' budget proposals for 2006/07. The Liberal Democrat plan for Policing Rail is costed at £20 million to cover not only 272 police officers and PCSOs at a cost of £12.1 million, but all the support costs for this Londonwide operation.

There were 3,025 recorded crimes on South Eastern Trains (covering the Greenwich, Bexleyheath and Sidcup lines) on the most recent available figures.

"The Liberal Democrats would put 67 officers on our lines, patrolling stations and trains, at an annual cost of £3 million," said Michael Lewis.

"This plan would provide real security for rail passengers in Eltham and New Eltham."

"In contrast Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone is actually proposing to cut funding for railway policing in his latest budget. For all their tough talk on crime, Labour aren't prepared to pay for the extra police officers we need."