Airport-style security at UK train stations 'not practical,' insists Transport Secretary in wake of Huntington knife attack
Heidi Alexander added she is "not convinced" by the idea that guards should carry pepper spray in the wake of the attack.
Airport-style security at UK train stations is "not practical," the Transport Secretary has insisted, as she admitted that security measures will be reviewed in the wake of Saturday's Huntington train attack.
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Speaking with Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander was asked whether train guards should be authorised to carry pepper spray for use in such situations.
It's a question that saw Ms Alexander insist that she is "not convinced" that its use would be "the right way to go," while insisting current measures are constantly being reviewed.
Her comments follow Saturday's "horrific" attack aboard a train near Huntington, which saw a knifeman stab passengers aboard the LNER service between Doncaster and London.
Nine people were left with life-threatening injuries following the attack, including a hero train worker who confronted the alleged knifeman.
On Monday, Anthony Williams, 32, was charged with ten counts of attempted murder, one count of ABH (Actual Bodily Harm), and one count of possession of a bladed article in connection with the incident.
Read more: Man, 32, charged with ten counts of attempted murder following Huntingdon train knife rampage
Read more: 'Hero' Huntingdon train driver who helped save lives of passengers revealed as Iraq war veteran
Highlighting that such attacks are "very, very rare" and that public safety remains a "top priority", with the government "constantly keeping security measures on the public transport network under review".
"We have increased the visible patrols of British Transport Police at stations because I appreciate that the travelling public will want reassurance after the incident on Saturday night," Ms Alexander told Nick.
"Thankfully, these sorts of incidents, this horrific attack is so very, very rare on the public transport network.
"We are going to be investing more in CCTV technology at stations, so that the British Transport Police can remotely access the video footage that is recorded on CCTV."
Outlining plans to make better use of facial recognition technology, she added that the Home Office is set to launch a consultation on its use in the "coming weeks and months".
"Everyone who is working on or using the railways should be confident that they will get home safe at the end of the day," she added.
"And so we will review security arrangements, but we also do have to be proportionate in any interventions we make and make sure that we're using our resources as effectively and as efficiently as we can and we've also got to think about practicalities because, Nick, I've heard some people talking, for example, about introducing airport style scanning technology, and I don't think that's practical in a country where you've got thousands of stations, very station will have multiple entrances, multiple platforms."
It comes as the suspect was also charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection with an incident at Pontoon Dock DLR station on 1 November.
"So I think that when we talk about the kit that is available to onboard train crew to respond to incidents, we have got to think about whether people are properly trained to use different bits of technology.
"I don't want to jump to conclusions, Nick, about this one incident, of course, the people who are working on our rail network should always be safe, there is absolutely no place for abuse or assault on the trains."
She instead suggested the answer lies in whether train staff are "properly trained to use different bits of technology".
"So I would want to look at the full analysis about whether that would be a proportionate thing to enable staff to have access to.
"I'm not convinced of that at the moment, that would be the right way to go, but I will be working with the operators of our train services to make sure that where we could take action to improve safety of the travelling public.
"I'm willing to be open minded, but what I'm not going to do is make a commitment just because you've put that question to me on air this morning."
"I mean you never know who is going to be on a train, Nick," she added.
"To be honest and so I think the role of off duty officers and their ability to intervene in very, very rare incidents like this, you know, I will be talking to the Home Secretary as I did this weekend, about what more we can do to make the train network safe.
"But I do want our response to be well thought through, to be targeted so that it has the most effect and it's a proportionate and practical response as well."