Ken Young

Said the following about Operation Regatta Team:

“A multi-agency alliance was formed in February 2017 with Network Rail, Vital Rail patrollers, British Transport Police, Samaritans and GTR including their Rail Enforcement Officers who created a calendar and patrolling plan which evolved into Operation Regatta.

Through the increase in patrolling resource from Vital Rail funded by Network Rail combined with coordination with these other stakeholders the team has dramatically reduced suicide in the worst area on LNE&EM route for suicide. The Peterborough south and Bedford south Thameslink area sees many suicides every year. Since February there have been no suicides on the Bedford south patch and no suicides from March to mid July Peterborough south and an impressive number of lifesaving interventions.

Op Regatta formalised this from 16th July until 9th September with a calendar of patrolling shared across all stakeholders and dedicated National Disruption Fusion Unit analysis to track progress and target patrols based on need. Coordinated by Embedded Inspector Michael Boyce this is now looked on as best practice. Sponsored by Scheme Project Manager Alex Sullivan-Wilson for route champion Programme Director Steve Hughes to increase the tactical presence of vigilant staff the lives saved and multi-million pound savings to the industry from reduced disruption to the travelling public makes it the most successful joint operation of its kind.

Operations Manager Alan Mowbray of Vital leads a team of 7 patrollers who form the core of this operation who have helped distressed and vulnerable people across this area such as at New Southgate station on the 31st of July where a tearful suicidal person declared that their abusive relationship was so bad that they had no choice but to end their life, patroller Iman Massoud calmed the person using the Samaritans training he had received until BTP could arrive to take the person to a place of safety to receive the support they need.

Lives were also saved on the 24th March at Bedford, 8th of April at Hendon, 13th of April at Sandy, 25th of July at Bedford. On the 8th of May a trespasser was stopped and coaxed off the line at Luton Airport Parkway. On the 29th of August a distressed trespasser near Cricklewood was removed from the line. Many other interventions have occurred.

The team is looking to learn all it can from the work so far and to save lives in the future.“