A train company has introduced 22 rail enforcement officers (REOs) across a number of routes.

The REOs will be patrolling along the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) route between London St Pancras, Elstree and Borehamwood, Luton and Bedford as well as on the Great Northern route from London and Hertford, Peterborough, Cambridge and Kings Lynn.

These new services will complement the work of the British Transport Police, which GTR co-funds, and the two organisations are currently working together on an operation targeting bike theft in St Albans.

Adam Dear, rail enforcement manager, said: “There is very little crime on our railways but it is important to provide our passengers with a reassuring presence.

"Our REOS are an active force against low level crime and anti-social behaviour, reducing anti-social behaviour and help build an even safer rail network.”

All the REOs have police radios and are set to be issued with body-word CCTV cameras and are all qualified to confiscate any substances such as alcohol and cigarettes.

The idea for REOs came from Southern and Gatwick Express, which have a similar group of award-winning officers known as rail neighbourhood officers patrolling their part of the network.

GTR is also sponsoring up to 20 employees to become Special Constables on these two routes as well as the Thameslink and Great Northern and already have 15 trained and fully operational across its network. The Specials have the same policing powers as any full-time police officer.

Security manager Tony Holland is spearheading the specials initiative within GTR and has himself become a Special.

Mr Holland said: “This demonstrates our commitment to provide a more secure environment for passengers and rail staff which is all about reducing the risk of people becoming the victims of crime.”