A TOP official at British Transport Police has told how the planned merger with Police Scotland has produced a "collective sense of abandonment" among officers and that he suspects the "public purse is being stretched to pay for a simple name change and nothing more".
Nigel Goodband, British Transport Police Federation chairman, below, rounded against the controversial plan being proposed by Scottish Government in a blog, in which he called for greater transparency of the mooted merger.
MSPs have already passed The Railway Policing Bill which paves the wave for BTP to become part of the national force in 2019.
Mr Goodband said: "Again, we ask why, with just 17 months until our Scottish colleagues are assimilated into Police Scotland, do they still not know what the future holds?
"These concerns need to be addressed urgently and officers should be fully supported throughout this process.
"We would like to see force-run surgeries to allow officers to raise their concerns and, more importantly, receive meaningful answers and support.
"We're shocked by the lack of transparency, accountability and financial prudence that has been shown throughout this process.
"From the start the Scottish Government has refused to acknowledge the results of the consultation process; the evidence against the merger supplied by many at the Justice Select Committee; the feelings of officers, staff and public, and a petition opposing the merger signed by over 11,000 people."
The BTP is fiercely opposed to the move as are rail unions who fear it could weaken safety standards and jeopardise its 200 staff in Scotland and passengers.
Mr Goodband went on: "If we listen closely to what is being proposed by the Scottish Government and the joint program board, our officers and staff are, rightly, to transfer with the same pay and conditions, the same pensions, into the same premises, using the same vehicles and operating the same number of staff. What will the final cost be, in terms of both time and money?
"I suspect the public purse is being stretched to pay for a simple name change and nothing more.
"In the Scottish Parliament, MSPs are already making comment about the serious lack of financial prudence and the cost is rising by the day."
Mary Fee, West of Scotland Labour MSP, who is pictured below, has already raised concerns about the merger at Holyrood.
She said: "Those identified risks cover the impact on cross-border services, a dilution of expertise and skills, retaining the skilled and experienced BTP staff, the potential impact on safety and security, and the unknown costs of training for rail operators and Police Scotland."
Mr Goodband said transport officers are "already accountable to all throughout Scotland, England and Wales, including the Scottish Government.
"We already have a single command structure throughout the country, accountable to all."
The merger was revealed as a purely political decision with no detailed business case in a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and Liam McArthur, Liberal Democrat justice spokesman, said the Scottish Government had "failed to consider all the options, ignored practical insight and didn't show any care for the impact on railway policing elsewhere in the UK".
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We have consistently given assurances throughout the passage of the Railway Policing Act that terms and conditions, pay and pensions of BTP officers and staff will be the same as they are currently – or that an equivalent level of benefit will be provided.
"Along with Police Scotland, we regularly engage with the British Transport Police Federation, including as recently as Tuesday, as plans progress.
“The integration will provide a single command structure, with seamless access to wider support facilities and specialist resources, providing an enhanced service to the rail industry and travelling public.”
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