TfL emergency responders get ‘flashing blue lights’

British Transport Police (BTP) has established a new partnership with Transport for London (TfL) to allow its Emergency Response Unit (ERU) vehicles to use flashing blue lights when responding to incidents on the Tube network.

Under the trial launched last month, the response vehicles will travel under the same ‘blue light’ conditions used by police, ambulance and fire services, cutting response times and improving passenger safety by reducing disruption and delays across the network.

Three ERU vehicles, which will operate from Camden, have been painted in BTP livery and kitted out with lights and sirens. They will carry engineers with specialist equipment and be driven by BTP officers working full time with the unit.

BTP Assistant Chief Constable Alan Pacey said: “Passenger safety will be improved by using ‘blue lights’ to get engineers and equipment to the scene of incidents as quickly as possible. Stuck trains will be freed from tunnels more quickly, enhancing passenger safety. By getting the line moving sooner there will also be fewer crowd safety issues in and around stations.”