We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to act upon the EDM on 23rd March put up by Tom Harris MP, former Transport Minister, in support of railway enthusiasts.”

Details of Petition:

“Details of Early Day Motion: That this House welcomes the presence and activities of railway enthusiasts on the UK rail network; acknowledges the potential positive contribution to station security made by railway enthusiasts who are often seen as providing extra eyes and ears for the security services through their activities; is concerned at recent reports that some rail enthusiasts have been prevented from carrying out lawful activities, including photography, by station and train staff; and calls on Network Rail and the train operating companies to respect the legal rights of members of the public to pursue their interests at stations.”

Read the Government’s response

Network Rail, the British Transport Police and some train operators have policies in place that recognise the security benefits that the presence of enthusiasts can bring to the railway.  The Government also recognises this and agrees that extra security at stations should not prevent enthusiasts from pursuing their legitimate interests.  Enthusiasts are asked to make their presence known to station staff so as to avoid the sort of confrontation described in the petition.

Railway enthusiasts are subject to the same rules as anyone else using the railway and so must not, for example, trespass on parts of the railway that are not open to the general public. 

However, there may be occasions when staff seek to remove enthusiasts.  Where there are good reasons for this, for example when there is a particular security threat, the staff concerned should be ready and able to explain the reasons.  Otherwise, Network Rail and the British Transport Police provide a summary of their relevant policies on their website and recommend that enthusiasts take a copy to show staff should they be challenged.