BTP 61016 still working?

[Chriso]

I have tried to use this twice over the last two weeks. Once on SWR having the misfortune of having my carriage turned in to a club/drugs den by a load of 14 year olds at Clapham Junction joyriding and doing Nitrous balloons on the Hounslow loop (later saw a 25 min delay on said train around Egham due to disruptive passengers) I did inform the guard in the middle cab (2x450) on departing at Barnes Bridge.

Second time was today after the third time this week of encountering tissue sellers on the Met between Harrow and Finchley Road

Both times I received a not delivered message. Surely after all the time and money invested in this they haven’t just switched it off?

 

[Mojo]

I was wondering what was going on with it, I regularly used to Email them rather than text (due to SMS charges). Without fail and no matter how minor the issue I'd always get a response with the log number. The last 3 or 4 messages I've sent over the past month I've had no reply to.

 

[py_megapixel]

I really hope they've switched it off, though I doubt it.... if it's been discontinued, then hopefully they'll get rid of those god-awful See it, say it... announcements!

Some mobile operators don't allow text messages to short code numbers. Have you changed mobile operator recently?

 

[1D54]

Second time was today after the third time this week of encountering tissue sellers on the Met between Harrow and Finchley Road

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

 

[Fokx]

It’s still fully functional

I expect they’re being inundated with texts saying ‘x’ isn’t wearing a face covering

 

[robbeech]

I really hope they've switched it off, though I doubt it.... if it's been discontinued, then hopefully they'll get rid of those god-awful See it, say it... announcements!

This is a service that has stopped actual human beings from being attacked or sexually abused. It isn't perfect by any means but I would suggest allowing these acts to go ahead because an announcement gets on your nerves might be a little bit excessive.

 

[Mojo]

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

That is exactly the purpose of such a thing, and staff & customers are fully encouraged to use this service to inform the police so they can direct their deployments accordingly.

 

[Darandio]

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

Why not? It's exactly what the BTP have instructed people to do.

 

[py_megapixel]

This is a service that has stopped actual human beings from being attacked or sexually abused. It isn't perfect by any means but I would suggest allowing these acts to go ahead because an announcement gets on your nerves might be a little bit excessive.

I'm not suggesting abolishing BTP! In fact, they can keep the 61016 service if they want. I just don't want to be told about it with automated announcements several times at every possible opportunity.

It's more than just "gets on your nerves". Plenty of people who travel by train, including on some occasions myself, genuinely find that a large amount of ambient noise are unbearable because it causes them significant stress and confusion. Of course, this is more than just the fault of the announcements, there are other sources of noise at a station, but announcements are particularly hard to ignore.

Also the BTP website is extremely clear that urgent emergency situations should still be reported via 999 instead:

How to use the text number

How to use the 61016 text number from British Transport Police. In an emergency always dial 999.

www.btp.police.uk

Can I text you in an emergency?

In an emergency always call 999. The 61016 text number is monitored 24/7 but there is no guarantee that your text will be received in time, so you should not use it to call for assistance in an emergency.

 

[Fokx]

I'm not suggesting abolishing BTP! In fact, they can keep the 61016 service if they want. I just don't want to be told about it with automated announcements several times at every possible opportunity.

It's more than just "gets on your nerves". Plenty of people who travel by train, including on some occasions myself, genuinely find that a large amount of ambient noise are unbearable because it causes them significant stress and confusion. Of course, this is more than just the fault of the announcements, there are other sources of noise at a station, but announcements are particularly hard to ignore.

But the average passenger who travels once in a blue moon won’t be aware of this number and THAT is what the announcements are there for

It also stops complacency and strongly reminds people to look out for ‘odd’ behaviour. Although I agree excess noise can be quite annoying, they will stick in the back of your mind (like how everyone remembers that washing machines live longer with a certain product) which could eventually even prevent something like a terror attack on the railway.

 

[Clip]

I'm not suggesting abolishing BTP! In fact, they can keep the 61016 service if they want. I just don't want to be told about it with automated announcements several times at every possible opportunity.

It's more than just "gets on your nerves". Plenty of people who travel by train, including on some occasions myself, genuinely find that a large amount of ambient noise are unbearable because it causes them significant stress and confusion. Of course, this is more than just the fault of the announcements, there are other sources of noise at a station, but announcements are particularly hard to ignore.

Also the BTP website is extremely clear that urgent emergency situations should still be reported via 999 instead:

How to use the text number

How to use the 61016 text number from British Transport Police. In an emergency always dial 999.

www.btp.police.uk

Were you not advocating for TOCs to have a dedicated jingle in another thread?

 

[DarloRich]

I'm not suggesting abolishing BTP! In fact, they can keep the 61016 service if they want. I just don't want to be told about it with automated announcements several times at every possible opportunity.

It's more than just "gets on your nerves". Plenty of people who travel by train, including on some occasions myself, genuinely find that a large amount of ambient noise are unbearable because it causes them significant stress and confusion. Of course, this is more than just the fault of the announcements, there are other sources of noise at a station, but announcements are particularly hard to ignore.

The point of the text line is to allow you to report issues surreptitiously and without putting yourself in danger. It works well and the jingle ( which the rail experts here hate) seems to be doing it's job in informing non experts ( aka real people who make one train journey once in a blue moon) what they should do if they are unhappy with anything they see while out and about on the railway. It works at identifying issues and reducing problems sometimes of a very serious nature.

As for the rest of this........

 

[py_megapixel]

Were you not advocating for TOCs to have a dedicated jingle in another thread?

Just for the hell of it, I've been through all of my posts in that thread. The closest I got to advocating each TOC having a dedicated jingle was pointing out that in Nuremberg they do a good job of audio being consistent between modes of transport. I also point out several other examples of nice jingles, but all of those are dedicated to a particular area, which creates consistency and familiarity. They're also pleasant sounds which are non-intrusive, and the announcements themselves are no more often than needed.

The 61016 announcement is the complete opposite of this. It is shouty, often preceded by a horrible "doorbell" sound, and far too frequent.

 

[Chriso]

Exactly the purpose of it for minor events. I normally wouldn’t bother but they seem to be permanently on there this week. I know they are unable to work from home but come on

 

[sk688]

It's working fine for me at least , two people were acting in a threatening manner and seemed to be high on drugs on a recent GWR service between Didcot and Swindon.
Used 61016 and BTP met the train at Swindon

 

[Crossover]

Possibly over run with reporting of non-mask wearing?

 

[Chriso]

Possibly over run with reporting of non-mask wearing?

Lol probably all seconded to an operation at Acton Bridge

 

[island]

Off topic I know but I prefer Link’s option for dealing with anything suspicious.

 

[fgwrich]

That is exactly the purpose of such a thing, and staff & customers are fully encouraged to use this service to inform the police so they can direct their deployments accordingly.

Correct, it is indeed used to deploy resources when and where available to combat such things. Tissue Beggars may be seen as a fairly small nuisance in comparison to some of the things that come through on 61016, But it is certainly used to deploy resources accordingly (the tissue beggars usually work in gangs and there are often other crimes that go hand in hand with them) - one such area used to be on the GWML.

It's working fine for me at least , two people were acting in a threatening manner and seemed to be high on drugs on a recent GWR service between Didcot and Swindon.
Used 61016 and BTP met the train at Swindon

That's good to hear!

BTP like most Police Forces are in a bit of a catch 22 at the moment, there may be more officers visible to the public, but behind the scenes there are a lot of cancelled rest days, extended shifts, special constables coming in and pre-planned deployments going on and subject to change almost at the drop of a hat. They, like a lot of forces, are also having to rely on less call handling / first contact centre staff, due to restrictions on working thanks to Covid (adequate social distancing + contact centre staff isolating etc) coupled with more reporting of crimes and issues per day, resulting in an heavily increasing workload. In an ideal world this wouldn't happen, but until Covid working restrictions can be reduced (or the government allows priority for vaccinating Police Officers and Staff), BTP and many Police Forces will continue to have a heavy workload for some time.

 

[mark-h]

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing?

It will be a lot quicker for BTP contact centre staff to process a text message than taking a call. They will be able to prioritise based on the seriousness of the report and their available resources.

Even if they are not able to act on a report at the time it could still, along with other report, provide them with an insight as to where there are problems on the network.

 

[whoosh]

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

It's Organised Crime.

 

[Jim the Jim]

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

Some people feel threatened simply by being approached by an insistent stranger in an enclosed space such as a railway carriage. These things are illegal for a reason and the police themselves can decide what to prioritise.

 

[Stigy]

If it was “switched off” I’d like to think there’d be publicity regarding it on trains and at stations, and staff briefs.

Informing the BTP on such a minor thing? Unless of course they were behaving in a threatening manner.

It’s not minor. It’s a crime that’s been on going for years and is unacceptable. It’s exactly what the sort of crime that 61016 is intended for.

 

[3rd rail land]

Some people feel threatened simply by being approached by an insistent stranger in an enclosed space such as a railway carriage. These things are illegal for a reason and the police themselves can decide what to prioritise.

Exactly. I've been sitting in the window seat on a train and had a tissue beggar lean over with their hand out wanting me to give them money. I just ignore them as I know they will go away after a few seconds but I'm not particularly happy with these strangers getting so close to me especially as I can't back away. I've encountered tissue beggars a few times in recent years.

On one hand I realise it's quite minor, but still illegal, and the train isn't going to be held at a station so the BTP can attend although I do think if the BTP get enough intel on these things they could potentially take action and at least disrupt these people. I've never reported it but perhaps I should when I next encounter it.

I think on trains a lot of things can be dealt with the guard more efficiently than using 61016 and getting the BTP involved. If you get kids/teens/youths causing a nuisance then the guard can order them off the train at the next stop and if needs be call the BTP to meet the train. I think a lot of the issues on trains relates to anti-social behaviour and very minor crimes so having the guard eject the person from the train at the next stop may well be sufficient if the issue doesn't justify police attendance and holding the train at a station.

 

[PeterC]

Also the BTP website is extremely clear that urgent emergency situations should still be reported via 999 instead:

How to use the text number

How to use the 61016 text number from British Transport Police. In an emergency always dial 999.

www.btp.police.uk

An SMS will take as long as it takes to be delivered. This may be 0.8 seconds or 8 hours depending on the amount of traffic. I wouldn't regard a delay of five or ten minutes as exceptional.

 

[weastebusdepot]

A couple of years ago I was on a train with a work colleague, and a rather odd behaving passengers on the opposite side of the aisle threatened to cut my colleague's heart out for looking at him the wrong way (this was at the time when knife crime was on the rise). We ignored him and a couple of stops later BTP got on, went straight to the person who had made the threat and asked him to step outside for a chat.

After a few minutes of taking the details of both parties, he was advised to move to another carriage and we continued the journey. Once he'd gone, a woman a couple of rows away introduced herself and said she'd texted the 61016 number. She said people she worked with had been discussing it a few days before and it was the first time she'd tried it. In this case it was very effective.

 

[Fokx]

I think on trains a lot of things can be dealt with the guard more efficiently than using 61016 and getting the BTP involved. If you get kids/teens/youths causing a nuisance then the guard can order them off the train at the next top and if needs be call the BTP to meet the train. I think a lot of the issues on trains relates to anti-social behaviour and very minor crimes so having the guard eject the person from the train at the next stop may well be sufficient if the issue doesn't justify police attendance and holding the train at a station.

Technically the guard isn’t allowed to ‘throw passengers off’ as it can often be a safeguarding issue, and if anything happens to that person or the staff at that station, the guard is the one who will get blame and be liable. You can ask a passenger to leave the train but you can’t force/threaten them to do so, and often it’s not always wise to do so sadly.

The correct procedure would be to engage if it was something minor, and if it was something more serious to call BTP as you’ve later stated to have them removed (and control to advise/inform).

 

[Stigy]

Technically the guard isn’t allowed to ‘throw passengers off’ as it can often be a safeguarding issue, and if anything happens to that person or the staff at that station, the guard is the one who will get blame and be liable. You can ask a passenger to leave the train but you can’t force/threaten them to do so, and often it’s not always wise to do so sadly.

The correct procedure would be to engage if it was something minor, and if it was something more serious to call BTP as you’ve later stated to have them removed (and control to advise/inform).

That’s down to company policy really. Some companies are more proactive than others. I agree you have to be careful when asking someone to leave a train, but if they’re in a group or it’s the middle of the day for example, they’re far less vulnerable. Common sense I guess. You wouldn’t eject a line female at an unstaffed station late at night for example.

Agreed that a lot of the time it’s far easier to call the police to deal with a situation.