Three-year funding settlement agreed for BTP

It will comprise eight per cent in 2026/27, five per cent in 2027/28, and one per cent in 2028/29.

Stuart Cowan, chair of the BTP Federation, said the budget settlement “offers some positives” but warned there could be “further challenges down the line”.

“Multi-year funding provides much-needed stability and certainty, allowing BTP to finally start recruiting again,” he said.

“For the safety of rail users, staff, and our own colleagues, we urgently need to address the significant gaps in resources that have emerged in recent years.

“I hope this will also put an end to the almost-constant reshaping and restructuring of the organisation that we have seen in recent years. This has put our members under enormous strain.”

Mr Cowan said the force’s approach to modernisation will “be essential both in terms of delivering the best possible service to the travelling public and maximising the budget”.

“We welcome new digital tools and the planned investment in technology. We have said it before: tech can’t replace officers, but it can handle some of the tasks that keep our colleagues in offices rather than on train station platforms,” said.

“What concerns me most is the funding for the third year of the agreement. We can’t lose sight of the fact that we will face further challenges down the line. We can already see the black hole that a one per cent increase will create in BTP’s finances.

“This settlement will change the nature, shape, and size of the force, but this cannot be at the expense of boots on the ground. Our people are our most valuable resource, and this Federation will continue to call on BTPA and BTP to protect, train, and back them at all costs.”