Date : 09 January 2009

Merseyrail - Serco's rail operation in Merseyside - has been named the UK's first fully secure rail network by the Department for Transport in association with Crime Concern.

All of the network's 66 stations have been awarded the coveted Secure Station status after visits by the British Transport Police.

Nick Brown, chief executive of Serco Integrated Transport, said: This is a unique achievement for Merseyrail and a major success for a Serco contract in the railway industry. It represents the culmination of a great deal of hard work to provide passengers with one of the safest rail networks in the country.

Bart Schmeink, managing director of Merseyrail, said: When others in the rail industry told us it was impossible to have our entire network accredited as secure, we decided that we would prove them wrong - and we have proved this in other areas such as our pioneering approach to anti-social behaviour on trains.

The task of accrediting all stations on the Merseyrail network began in July 2004, when Ormskirk was the first to receive a Secure Station award.

In addition, 95 per cent of Merseyrail's car parks have achieved Secure Car Park status.