By KUNA,
London : New minimum-delay security measures to screen Tube and mainline rail passengers were being introduced by the British Transport Police (BTP), the UK Government announced Thursday.
But following screening trials at stations, ministers have ruled out airport-style screening on rail and Underground systems.
Government surveys of passengers have revealed that the public would be unlikely to accept major delays to journeys and want to ensure their personal privacy is protected.
BTP said it was enhancing its existing stop and search capabilities with the use of X-ray equipment for screening bags, along with the deployment of additional explosive-search dogs.
It added that the enhancements built on BTP’s existing search measures to screen a proportion of passengers and their bags with minimal delay.
The BTP announcement came as Britains Transport Minister Tom Harris announced the results, and the public attitude to, security trials at five Tube and mainline railway stations in London in 2006.
He said the trials showed that screening equipment and dogs can be effective in the railway environment.
However, given the very large passenger flows and thousands of entry points on the UK rail and Underground networks, 100 percent airport-style screening is currently not feasible using today’s technology, the Minister added.
Since the terror attacks on July 7, 2005, on the London transport network the Government has stepped up security measures at railway stations and the Underground service.