RMT warns cuts to British Transport Police would ‘seriously endanger’ safety of railway staff

The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said the BTP was facing an £8.5 million funding shortfall this year, which it warned could result in the closure of 13 police stations and the loss of hundreds of posts.

The union said cuts would leave frontline rail staff exposed to rising levels of violence, harassment and anti-social behaviour.

RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: "These cuts will severely impact the safety of rail workers and the travelling public.

"Station staff and train crews are being left to deal with violent and abusive passengers without adequate BTP support, often late at night, in isolated locations, and with no back-up.

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"BTP's own figures show a sharp rise in crime across the network yet the response is to slash officer numbers, close stations and disband the very unit that dealt with workplace violence. It is both outrageous and dangerous."

RMT has launched a campaign to demand better protection for rail workers and safer travelling for passengers.

Mr Dempsey has previously told LBC the government is “heading backwards” by focusing on spending cuts.

The head of RMT told LBC in May that the Labour government needs to invest heavily in "infrastructure, housing, and jobs" in order to win back disaffected voters, after a disastrous set of local elections for the party.

Mr Dempsey, who replaced Mick Lynch as RMT boss in March, claimed that the British public are "feeling alienated" and are "mistrustful of politicians" which is being exploited. He called for trade unions to be given an elevated role within communities

"If you want to bring people back together in areas where they're divided, you need to put us back in there, put the trade unions in there. We'll bring people together".

"You need to invest in giving people decent work and decent housing, and that's how you'll address problems of people feeling angry and disaffected".

The RMT, which endorsed Labour at the last election, has been unaffiliated from the party since a dispute dating back to when Sir Tony Blair was the party leader

Dempsey has signalled that is not likely to change, and fired a warning shot to Sir Keir Starmer to keep the union onside.

"We are independent. We don't affiliate to any political party. If politicians are doing a good job, then we'll thank them for it. And if they're not, then we'll give them a taste of our medicine", he told LBC.