14 replies to this topic

[biker.r1]

News Release 2005/0035:
24 March 2005

NEW CASH BOOST FOR BRITISH TRANSPORT POLICE AT NEW LONDON SOUTH HEADQUARTERS
Transport Secretary Alistair Darling today announced a new £30 million three year capital funding settlement for the British Transport Police as he opened their new London South Headquarters. This will enable the BTP to:


Install modern communications equipment
Renew voice and data networks
Continue standardisation of information systems with other Police forces
Implement a vehicle replacement programme and purchase additional counter terrorism vehicles

Alistair Darling said:

"The £30 million package in its first year alone more than doubles this current year's allocation. This sharp increase in investment is a recognition of the huge pressures the force now faces.

"The funding package alongside the decision by the Authority to increase its own resource budget will give the force better communication equipment, improved links with other police forces and greater strength to deal with terrorism."

The new London South area Headquarters which Alistair Darling opened today will be based at Ivason House in London Bridge. It will be responsible for policing stations and trains in south London and the southern Home Counties.

The new building will improve communication by bringing together functions such as the Crime Management centre, the Operations Department and Case Building Team. The move also frees room elsewhere for the additional police officers and Police Community Support Officers which have recently been recruited.

Over three floors, Ivason House, formerly part of Guys Hospital, houses the:

Area Commander and senior team
Crime Management Centre, where all reported crimes are input and tracked,
Case Building Team, which conducts follow up enquiries on crimes
Central London Operations Department
CID
Crime Reduction Department
Training Department
Human Resources and Finance Departments
IT Support

Alistair Darling added:

"It is crucial that the London South BTP have good facilities in which to conduct their work as a quarter of recorded crime and almost half of all robberies occur in this region.

"Even with such a tough area the BTP has actually done remarkably well with robberies down and the detection rate up on last year. However, passengers and staff deserve better and I am now convinced the force has the right finance and structures in place to give people the freedom to travel more safely and securely."


Notes to editors

1. The Government provides Capital funding for the force which is on top of their regular income from industry. Today’s Capital funding settlement amounts to £12.5 million in 2005-06; £10 million in 2006-07; and £7.5 million in 2007-08 – a total of £30 million.

2. The new BTP London South Area HQ is at Ivason House, 8a London Bridge Street, London SE1 9SG. The Area HQ has moved from Ebury Bridge, SW1. That building, which houses Custody and Identification Suites, is now reverting to its original purpose as an operational police station covering south London stations, including the London termini at Charing Cross, London Bridge, Victoria and Waterloo.

3. The British Transport Police covers the rail system across Britain including London Underground and some tram networks. The London South Area covers National Rail stations in south London, Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire, including the Croydon Tramlink.

4. 46% of robberies in Britain on the rail system are reported in the London South Area. In the year to February 1,008 were reported (down 17% on 2003/04) and the detection rate was 32%, up six percentage points.

5. The new BTP Authority was formally established in 1 July 2004 to oversee and strengthen the standing of the force, and to bring it more closely into line with Home Office police forces. The setting up of the Authority gives the Force a much broader mandate to carry out its duties. It is also directly accountable to the democratically appointed Secretary of State for Transport.


Source DfT DfT

[beemac]

Whoopee -do! Still can't get equipemnt or training done, but can always boast about extra cash for their flagship operation i.e. London Sarf!

[HP99]

Its nicely fitted out building though.

[beemac]

Its nicely fitted out building though.

Well, that's nice to know. Meanwhile in Scotland, we (i.e. SPC's) can't get any lockers or parking space

[HP99]

Well, that's nice to know.  Meanwhile in Scotland, we (i.e. SPC's) can't get any lockers or parking space

Hmmm, would it help if I said there looked to be parking for about 4 cars at Invason House ?

(Probably not)


But honest guv, its nothing to do with me, I suspect my car will be subject to being parked with all the chavs in the station car park at Southampton Central. (and for an impreza thats not good!)

[Headset57]

Spen last week at Ivason, London Bridge; quite a nice place indeed,allthough the training room gets cramped with more than 10 in it!.
Still over at Waterllo now. The PCSO"s have Waterloo to themselves as the core teams have all moved to Ebury. there should be about 10 PCSO"s and 6 PC / SGT"s in full, however the London Bridge / Charing X PCSO"s are also sharing here until they all get their own place later on.
The teams are 1 x Sgt, 1 x PC ( tutor) to 6 PCSO"s.
HS57

Edited by Headset 57, 20 April 2005 - 04:08 PM.

[Ventress]

Its nicely fitted out building though.

If you can find it!

[type2]

Money... for London South?!?!


Can this actually be true?!

[Headset57]

Ah back to Iveson ( HA ) for a week. Oh well park the car at HW and go one stop on the train.
HS57.

[pH_14]

Love it - this fantastically appointed building now houses... everyone but the operational police officers!

[karmapolice]

Love it - this fantastically appointed building now houses... everyone but the operational police officers!

Why is that any different to a Force HQ in a HO Force, Andy?

[pH_14]

I thought this was just a HQ for the London South region? If it's force HQ then fair enough

[Ventress]

I thought this was just a HQ for the London South region?  If it's force HQ then fair enough

It is the London sarf HQ, Tavistock Place is the Force HQ, until moves to Camden!

[karmapolice]

It is, but I meant more that it's not that unusual for HQ buildings to be devoid of the core shift teams; there are some operational officers in there.

[PC_Plod]

Yeah i know what you mean. I used to work in a nick which was the area HQ as well. Was massive and a really good station. Only problem was by the time everyone was cramemd in you were stuck if you had a car. People were parkign ehre there and everywhere because there was no space.