When we talk about railway security and safeguarding, it’s easy to default to compliance — the list of regulatory "must-haves" that ensure a basic level of safety. But true leadership in this space goes beyond ticking boxes. It demands constant evolution, adoption of best practices, and innovation.

A strong security strategy doesn't stand still. It must be a living framework: reviewed regularly, adapted to emerging risks, and designed around the needs of the communities it serves.

From a railway security perspective, it’s essential to recognise the diversity of people using the network. We must think beyond "passenger" as a single category and instead consider

Embedding Security Culture: Beyond Compliance

Once a security strategy is set, the next critical step is embedding security culture across the organisation. Without people living and breathing the strategy daily, even the best-laid plans will fall short.

Security culture must be embedded through clear processes and relevant, bespoke, and ongoing training. This cannot be a "one and done" exercise — it must be a continuous commitment to raising awareness, building capability, and reinforcing standards.

And just as in strategy, training must go beyond minimum compliance.

Each railway system is different — shaped by its operations, its passengers, its risks, and its corporate culture. Generic security training is not enough. Staff must receive bespoke, practical instruction.

But training is so much more than a PowerPoint presentation with right words. I have worked in partnership with Jim Ferran of JRC Training for many years, and regard him as an excellent trainer, who ensures not just information is passed, but also knowledge and understanding are embedded in each delegate. Jim is a retired police officer who has extensive knowledge in the adult education sector. He has a wealth of experience in the application, and implications, of legal issues. Jim has taken his knowledge and skills from his impressive policing career and allied it to his academic understanding of ‘adult education’ to design and develop training courses, workshops, and video based toolbox training that are ‘truly fit for purpose. 

So what does Jim have to say about Railway Safety, Security and Safeguarding training?

"...In the railway world training staff responsible for safety, security, byelaw enforcement or customer service roles must be bespoke to their needs and requirements of the role.

Operational staff are working in the challenging post covid world where sadly we have seen an erosion of personal responsibility, emotional control and failure to accept feedback, all of which often leads to conflict and aggressive responses.

Align this to an evident increase in vulnerability, mental illnesses, and predatory behaviour against women and girls, and it’s clear that training the modern-day security professional requires not only role knowledge and skills, but also a deeper understanding of human behaviours, and the impact of their own ‘interpersonal’ interactions.

Our rail network has an incredibly diverse footprint, where even on short journeys we see massive economic, demographic, and cultural changes all of which can, and do, impact on the operational role and how often complex, fast-moving situations are managed. This ‘recognition’ becomes crucial when dealing with the passengers in crisis.

Alongside any role specific required technical skills, it is imperative we include, or reinforce, the person centric ‘skills’ and ‘behaviours’ that are essential to the operational role...

...Achieving a learning and development ‘Nirvana’ requires employers, and training providers, to look at operational roles through a different set of lenses, conduct structured and wide reaching ‘environmental scanning’ of the issues that staff are facing day to day, and seek effective learning partnerships with sector experts at the earliest opportunity when developing core content.

We must be honest in our answers to the ‘why are we doing this training?’ is it for an actual ‘need’ or a ‘wish’. In additional its imperative to examine methods of delivery, assessment processes, and how we provide delegate support.

Your people aren’t all one size, neither is the service users  you impact upon daily - so surely our training must reflect this."

Delivering Security in Practice: Visibility, Awareness, and Engagement

Security on the railway is not solely about protecting staff or responding to the most serious threats. It is about making every journey safe — protecting not just paying passengers but also visitors, vulnerable individuals, and the wider public.

Therefore, security practices must not be limited to counter-terrorism or serious violent crime. 

To achieve this, security staff must be visible, engaged, and create a reassuring presence across the network. People should feel that security is ever-present — accessible when needed, yet unobtrusive when not.

With this in mind, there are two key operational tasks security personnel must excel at:

1. Strategic, Dynamic Patrols

2. Heightened Situational Awareness

A security presence that is highly aware, responsive, and approachable doesn't just react to incidents — it actively prevents them and enhances the overall passenger experience.

Driving Innovation: Thinking Beyond Traditional Security Solutions

For railway security to stay effective and resilient, constant innovation is essential. Security leaders must be proactive: always scanning for new ideas in technology, training methods, and operational practices.

However, innovation should not be limited to products and tools marketed specifically for the security sector.

In fact, some of the most valuable innovations come from outside traditional security thinking.

In a rapidly changing world, the security strategies that succeed will be those that embrace broader innovation without losing sight of practical, people-centred delivery.

Final Thought

Railway security is a complex, evolving challenge — but it is also an opportunity. By combining dynamic strategy, strong security culture, relevant and well delivered training, practical delivery, and broad innovation, we can ensure that our railways remain safe, welcoming, and resilient for everyone who uses them.

Security is not static — and neither should be our approach.