A Wait for Rail Safety

Australians will have to undertake a wait until the middle of 2011 before the begin to see the first of 940 police protective services officers that have been promised to work on suburban and regional railway stations.

Next year, it is expected that two armed protective services officers will work each suburban station in Melbourne, in addition to other regional stations from 6 o’clock each evening until the final train service.

However, it has not yet been determined which stations will first see officers manning them in the new year. Over four years, officers will slowly be employed where a budget of $161 million has been put aside for the scheme.

Around 30 percent of this is thought to be directed towards construction works that will reopen station offices, some of which have been closed for over 10 years. Furthermore, some stations do not have working toilet facilities for staff members.

Predictions estimate that after the initial protective services officers are employed after 2011-12, around 170 more will be hired in 2012-13. In the following year around 300 more officers will be employed, while the lead-up to the next state election, which takes place in 2014, will see the final 420 officers employed.

While travellers can’t expect it to happen overnight with the implementation of the services officers, it would be a good move undertaken by the new government, one which would prove extremely popular with train travellers.

Of course, when it comes to public safety it is important for travellers to have some form of protection they can rely on when they need it the most. While most train stations are very secure, there are some areas that can pose a threat to travellers as they wait for trains.

As a result of this, it is necessary for them to carry a self defense device such as pepper spray which is extremely beneficial and easy to employ. Not only that, but countless people around the world have come to rely on the spray canister which shows that it is an ideal device to own when it comes to increasing a person’s protection late at night.

This, after all, will become the perfect device for travellers protection while they wait for the introduction of more services officers at stations in the new year.