South Western Railway has achieved full marks in a national safeguarding accreditation for the third consecutive year, reinforcing its operational performance under public ownership.

The train operator received a 100 percent pass mark in the Safeguarding on Rail Scheme, with British Transport Police describing the result as an “exceptional achievement”.

British Transport Police interviewed senior leaders and station staff, reviewed documents and visited stations as part of the assessment, awarding full accreditation for a third consecutive year.

Since transferring to public ownership last year, South Western Railway has introduced measures to strengthen safeguarding and staff safety across its network.

These include making around 850 body-worn video cameras available to frontline colleagues to improve safety, deter crime and support prosecutions.

The operator has also delivered rail safety events for Year 6 pupils, reaching more than 1,000 children, and recruited 51 safeguarding champions to promote best practice across the business.

South Western Railway co-hosted the second National Safeguarding Conference with Southeastern, bringing together rail operators, police, councils and charities to share best practice.

New bi-monthly safeguarding meetings have also been introduced, enabling police, councils and operators to share intelligence and coordinate responses across coastal areas from Southampton to Weymouth.

A further initiative launched with Railway Children and South Bank Business Improvement District supports vulnerable young people in the London South Bank area, with an outreach worker based at London Waterloo.

Safeguarding training is mandatory for all colleagues, with refresher training every two years. From this year, safeguarding champions can complete a Level 3 Safeguarding Support Officer Apprenticeship.

Local Transport Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Under public ownership, South Western Railway continues to lead the way in protecting passengers and staff on its network.

“This perfect score is a fantastic achievement and shows how using modern technology and working closely with BTP, local partners and charities is helping to make the rail network safer for everyone.”

Grant Robey, head of security and safeguarding for South Western Railway, said: “To achieve a perfect score in our assessment for a third year running shows the dedication of not just the Security and Safeguarding team but the whole of SWR and how seriously we take the task of safeguarding everyone who travels on our trains and passes through our stations.

“We will continue to work with our charity and stakeholder partners on existing and new initiatives to ensure that we continue to lead the industry in providing the best possible safeguarding for customers and vulnerable people.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Peter Fulton, British Transport Police’s head of crime and public protection, said: “The accreditation reflects an exceptional achievement and a 100% pass mark—testament to the significant work undertaken to protect and safeguard vulnerable people across the network.

“The dedication of the Safety and Security Team and their determination to deliver excellence was evident throughout the audit. Their proactive approach, strategic planning, and commitment to embedding safeguarding as ‘business as usual’ sets a benchmark for best practice in the rail industry.”

South Western Railway also supports White Ribbon UK and has taken part in initiatives to prevent violence against women and girls.

South Western Railway and Network Rail Wessex plan to apply jointly for the next safeguarding accreditation as part of preparations for Great British Railways.