Transport police warn merger will hinder investigations

Police chiefs have warned there is a “real risk” that catching criminals will become harder and more expensive if a controversial merger goes ahead.

The British Transport Police north of the border will be subsumed into Police Scotland under plans put forward by the SNP administration.

Douglas Ross, for the Scottish Conservatives, said the move is “utterly needless” and “inspired by nationalism rather than national security”.

In a written statement ahead of an evidence session at Holyrood, BTP bosses expressed deep reservations about some of the proposals.

They warned of confusion and delays to crime-solving from no longer having one Britain-wide force and stressed the potential for its counter-terrorism performance to be undermined.

The BTP submission said it has calculated that fatalities responded to by officers inexperienced in railway policing take 50% longer to deal with and warned of a brain drain as experienced BTP staff leave.

The statement added: “There is also a real risk that the investigation of crime will become more complicated, and possibly more costly.”

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “As Police Scotland have made clear, specialist railway policing expertise and capacity will be maintained and protected within the broader structure of Police Scotland, with improved access to wider support facilities and specialist equipment, providing an enhanced service provision to the rail industry and travelling public.”

He added that devolving BTP’s functions was recommended by the Smith Commission and will ensure railway policing is fully accountable to Holyrood.