Mitie has secured a £6 million contract with South Western Railway (SWR) for up to three years. The company will provide security and intelligence services across SWR’s network, which covers Greater London, Hampshire, Surrey, Dorset, Berkshire, Wiltshire, Devon, and Somerset, serving 220,000 passengers daily.
Mitie will ensure the security of 14 locations, including stations, depots, and control centres. Their Security Officers will also conduct reassurance and wellness checks for passengers on SWR’s trains, which operate 1,500 journeys each day. These checks are crucial for identifying and responding to unusual behavior or unattended items swiftly.
A key aspect of the contract involves digitizing SWR’s security incident reporting with Mitie’s Merlin 24/7 software. This platform will enable Security Officers to log incidents via handheld devices, making the process more efficient. SWR will have access to a real-time dashboard that provides intelligence on threat levels across their estate, informed by trend analysis from the incident reports.
Additionally, Mitie Analysts at the company’s Intelligence Hub will use open-source data to provide SWR with updates on potential threats, such as large public events, protests, or crime spikes in the area. This data will help in identifying risk areas and determining the appropriate deployment of security officers.
Jason Towse, Managing Director, Business Services, Mitie, said, “We’re pleased to have been awarded this new contract with South Western Railway, building on our experience and expertise in the rail industry. As we head into the busy summer period, we look forward to bringing our intelligence-led approach to security to help create a safe and secure environment for the thousands of passengers travelling with SWR every day”.
In response, Daniel O’Riordan, Head of Safety and Security Assurance for South Western Railway, said, “At South Western Railway, the safety and security of all of our colleagues and customers is our priority and this is a momentous occasion as we enter into partnership with a new security provider. We’re delighted to welcome Mitie to the SWR community and look forward to working with them. We’re sure that their innovative digital and intelligence-led solutions will help us to make our network a safer and more secure place for everyone who uses it.”