RAIL company Thames Trains has announced a boost in jobs and technology to improve security and safety for passengers.

The firm is to recruit an extra 40 people to increase its on-board and station workforce to strengthen staffing on busy commuter routes between Oxford, Reading and Paddington.

It is also investing £1m in closed-circuit TV systems to be installed at 26 major stations on the company's routes.

Business manager Keith Harding said: "Additional staff and new security systems will provide better safety and security for our customers - especially at night.

"The new systems will enable us to communicate quickly with British Transport Police in London and the Thames Valley, providing a comprehensive rapid response facility when problems occur at our stations."

The firm is also considering installing ticket gates at nine key stations including Oxford. The first is already under way at Slough.

A joint scheme is also being considered for ticket gates at Reading and Paddington.

Terry Worrall, director and general manager of Thames Trains, said previous experience had shown closed-circuit TV could significantly reduce problems at stations.

He said: "There is a constant thread of evidence connecting incidents on stations and trains with fare dodging.

"If the experiment with ticket gates at Slough works, then there is every likelihood that we will start work at the other stations."

Story date: Friday 05 February

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