"Keep aggressors out of stations"

4 July 2007

BRUSSELS – Transport company NMBS wants to keep aggressive individuals from entering train stations by invoking a law that came into effect three years ago.

The railway company is calling for “urgent review of the existing security measures and implementation of new ones.”

NMBS will be installing 1,500 security cameras in 50 large stations by 2010, giving it the most extensive camera network in the country. The footage from these cameras will be monitored from a central control room that NMBS unveiled on Wednesday.

In addition to extra security workers and better cooperation with the police, camera surveillance is a third major pillar in the security policy at NMBS.

There are currently some 622 cameras in 14 stations.

Jannie Haek, director of the NMBS Holding, says the existing cameras have already contributed to solving a number of crimes and the additional planned camera surveillance will have a clear preventative effect.

The railway company is also launching new uniforms to make the security workers more visible. These will be delivered on 1 October.

Subject: Belgian news

“Keep aggressors out of stations”