New report urges action on UK’s railway runaway children

By The Press Association5th September 2014News EnglandChild Protection, News England

More must be done to tackle the problem of hundreds of runaway children found in and around railway stations, a report by MPs has said.

In one recent 17-month period, British Transport Police (BTP) picked up more than 750 runaway children at London stations, the report by the House of Commons Transport Committee said.

But the committee said it was “surprised to learn” that BTP currently had no targets in relation to child protection.

Entitled Security On The Railway, the report went on: “The Department for Transport (DfT), the British Transport Police Authority, the BTP and the charity sector should work together to tackle this emerging issue.”

The MPs said they had taken “compelling evidence” from the charity Railway Children on the experience of vulnerable children and young people at railway stations.

The charity had spoken of pickpockets and others gathering at stations to exploit people, adding: ” We know that some of the sexual exploitation taking place on concourses is gang-related and quite organised.”

The report said that between April 2012 and August 2013, the BTP had picked up 90 runaway children at Euston main line station, 185 runaway children at King’s Cross, 115 at Paddington, 239 at Liverpool Street and 140 at Euston Underground station.

The report said: “The BTP told us that the problem is not confined to London and that its officers encounter vulnerable children and young people in major railway stations across Britain.”

Launching the report today, the committee’s chairman Louise Ellman (Lab: Liverpool Riverside) said: “Vulnerable children and young people who have run away from home or from care are often found in and around railway stations.

“More must be done by BTP to improve their child protection arrangements.”

The MPs recognised that overall crime levels on the rail network had fallen, but warned that year-on-year decreases in the total number of offences committed on Britain’s railways should not mask increases in particular categories of crime.

Mrs Ellman said: “We are concerned about increases in serious crimes such as assault, racial harassment and sexual offences.”

The committee also praised the BTP’s proven approach to counter-terrorism, developed over several decades and strikingly evidenced during the attacks on London in July 2005. But the report also stressed the importance of BTP’s future access to expertise and the latest intelligence.

Mrs Ellman said “Following the re-organisation of the DfT’s transport security executive, it’s vital BTP maintains close links with other police forces and security services to ensure prompt intelligence and liaison about major threats.”

Commenting on the report Manuel Cortes, leader of the TSSA rail union, said: “While we welcome the overall fall in railway crime, we are concerned about the worrying rise in serious crime, assault, up 6%, racially aggravated, up 13% and sexual offences, up 21%.

“We would like to see a higher police profile at stations and on trains which would act both as a deterrent whilst also providing security and reassurance for the travelling public.”

Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh said: “Today’s report shows that under this Government there has been an alarming increase in sexual assaults and a failure to safeguard vulnerable and runaway children.

“Ministers must take swift action to tackle these serious crimes so that passengers are safe on trains and at stations.”

She went on: “As part of our Women’s Safety Commission, the Labour Party is looking at ways of improving the safety of women and children on public transport.

“The Government may be willing to turn their back on these victims, but we certainly won’t.”

Sam Royston, head of policy at the Children’s Society, said: “Keeping children safe is everyone’s business. Anyone who comes into contact with children during their work needs to take responsibility for this.

“All police forces have a responsibility towards children who they come across as part of their work.”

BTP assistant chief constable Mark Newton said: “We welcome the committee’s report.

“As the committee acknowledges, crime on Britain’s railways has fallen for the 10th year in a row due to the effectiveness of the specialist rail policing provided by BTP.

“We support the committee’s focus on vulnerable people on the rail network. BTP is confident its child-safeguarding measures are robust, with children and young people found on the railway returned to places of safety. There is always more we can do.

“The report says 750 missing children were found at London railway stations in the 16 months to August 2013. This figure has been misinterpreted. In fact, the vast majority came into police contact for entirely different reasons and were not missing at all.

“BTP will continue to develop analysis in other areas to inform its work in keeping children safe when they come to our notice.

“Between November 2012 and this month, BTP found approximately 265 children on or around the railway, reported missing from home across the country – around three a week.”

Transport Minister Baroness Kramer said: “No child should be left at risk of exploitation and the plight of runaway children is particularly troubling. Along with the BTP, we are determined to do everything possible to ensure that youngsters in vulnerable situations are taken to safety.

“I particularly commend the work of the charity Railway Children and I will continue to work to ensure that vulnerable children’s best interests are protected.

“The Government will carefully consider the committee’s report and formally respond to its recommendations in due course.”