MP launches award-winning crime fighting tool

Southern’s Eyewitness initiative launches on Brighton, Horsham, Oxted, Tonbridge, Caterham and Tattenham Corner lines

Mid-Sussex MP, Nicholas Soames has launched Southern’s Eyewitness initiative at Haywards Heath railway station.

Mr Soames joined Southern senior staff, Revenue Protection Officers, Safer Travel Team Officers and a representative from British Transport Police to launch Southern’s award winning low-level crime reporting system to passengers who use Southern services between Brighton and South Croydon and at a further 42 stations including stations of the Horsham, Oxted, Tonbridge, Caterham and Tattenham Corner Lines.

Eyewitness is a scheme which allows the reporting of low-level crime by e-mail. The system has been used successfully as an in-house system where Southern staff have e-mailed members of Southern’s Safer Travel and Revenue Protection Teams to report incidences of vandalism, anti-social behaviour and fare evasion. The system allows Southern to respond quickly where officers are in the area, and to identify patterns, trends and hotspots which enables more intelligent deployment of Rail Neighbourhood Officers and Revenue Protection Officers when detailing patrols.

Following a successful public trial on the Arun Valley Line, and the first public launches along the West and East Coastways, The Brighton Main Line and surrounding areas sees the next step towards coverage of the entire Southern network.

Mr Soames Said: “I warmly welcome this initiative and commend Southern for taking steps to make the railway a safer and more secure environment for its passengers. Although crime on the railway has been falling steadily, this reduction needs to continue so I certainly encourage passengers to email Southern to tell them what they’ve seen.”

Shelley Atlas, Chairlady of Brighton Line Commuters said: “This is an excellent initiative and one which passengers would certainly welcome.”

Southern’s Head of Revenue Protection and Security, Martin Grier said: “Eyewitness has been a tremendous success since we introduced it internally almost two years ago. The scheme has worked well on the Arun Valley Line and on the East and West Coastways and now we look forward to even better results now that we are asking our passengers on the Brighton Main Line and surrounding areas to tell us about low-level crime they have witnessed.”

Passengers witnessing crime can report what they’ve seen, where they saw it, when they saw it and a brief description of the offender(s) by sending an e-mail to eyewitness@southernrailway.com.

In addition to stations on the East and West Coastways and the Arun Valley line, Eyewitness is now ‘live’ at the following stations:

Brighton Main Line:
Brighton, Preston Park, Hassocks, Burgess Hill, Wivelsfield, Haywards Heath, Balcombe, Three Bridges, Gatwick Airport, Horley, Salfords, Earlswood, Redhill, Merstham, Coulsdon South, Purley, Purley Oaks and South Croydon.

Oxted Line:
Uckfield, Buxted, Crowborough, Eridge, Ashurst, Cowden, Hever, Edenbridge Town, East Grinstead, Dormans, Lingfield, Hurst Green, Oxted, Woldingham, Upper Warlingham, Riddlesdown and Sanderstead.

Caterham and Tattenham Corner Lines:
Caterham, Whyteleafe South, Whyteleafe, Kenley, Tattenham Corner, Tadworth, Kingswood, Chipstead, Woodmansterne, Coulsdon Town and Reedham.

Horsham (via Dorking) Line:
Warnham, Ockley, Holmwood, Dorking, Boxhill and Westhumble, Leatherhead, Ashstead and Epsom.

Tonbridge/Reigate Line:
Leigh, Penshurst, Edenbridge, Godstone, Nutfield and Reigate.