It was a great honour for us in 2007 when LandSheriffs where selected, after a thorough selection process, to provide security for the UK stretch of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link NR (CTRL) for HighSpeed 1 (HS1).
More than just a railway, HS1 has been pivotal in the regeneration around the new international stations of Ebbsfleet, Stratford and St Pancras. We take great pride in the fact that we play a major role in the protection of these locations and that our continued presence has helped with the safety and security of these areas.
In 2009, Southeastern’s domestic high-speed services were launched on HS1, dramatically shortening journey times to the Thames Gateway and Kent. LandSheriffs play a key role in the security of this service which improved journey times to just over half an hour to get from London to Ashford, and only 1 hour from London to Canterbury.
It is our aim to ensure HS1 is the safest, most secure railway not just in the UK but in the world and maintain the high standard of passenger safety and infrastructure security across the NR (CTRL) HS1 Network.
Our Role
Line of Route - Typical HS1 Patrol
Mobile patrols covering 200 – 250 miles per unit
109km (68 miles) of track
152 Bridges and connecting roads
Hundreds of Gantries
208km (129 miles) of perimeter fence
In excess of 300 locks and gates
Hundreds of km of cables
LandSheriffs Static Guards at Singlewell IMD
Several hundred square acres of land
6 Ventilation Shafts
Depots, numerous buildings, tunnel portals and under-bridges
All whilst the UK’s fastest train, holding a record set by Eurostar on 30th July, 2003 of 334.7km/h (208mph), speeds people safely to and from the continent.
Red Five on Patrol
International Stations
International Stations are one of the many major assets LandSheriffs protect. Working closely with the British Transport Police (BTP) & Home Office Forces we have extensive duties in the protection of station buildings, surrounding lands and property, including car parks. We provide a robust visual deterrent to all types of crime & criminals, from graffiti, vandalism and petty theft. LandSheriffs are also a key early warning to any possible terrorism activity.
As part of the pivotal role in the protection of these HS1 International stations we employ several security procedures to ensure the safety of HS1 staff and traveling public. These include Mobile & Foot patrol of the perimeter of the station buildings and lands to detailed checks and inspections of the car parks, access roads and HS1 owned infrastructure.
St. Pancras International Station, in the heart of London, is patrolled by our vehicles. Primarily looking after the perimeter and surroundings of the station.
Stratford International Station is complete and ready to play a key role in transporting hundreds of thousands of people to and from the Olympic Village in the heart of the Olympic development site. We complete regular visits into the Olympic site and check the Station building, its surroundings along with all the other major HS1 & EDF assets, etc. in the area.
Ebbsfleet International Station is situated near Dartford, it is opening up new travel opportunities for people living in north Kent. We had a dedicated patrol team looking after the station grounds and car parks, the teams responsibilities covered public and staff safety and prevention of car crime by continued and regular foot and vehicle patrols.
Whilst our teams were stationed at Ebbsfleet International Station there were no crime related incidents and the car park was awarded a ‘Safe Parking Award’.
St. Pancras International
Stratford International
Ebbsfleet International
Graffiti Crackdown
Graffiti is a huge problem for all companies. A study for the London Assembly in 2004 found that the total cost for London was £100 Million with £6 Million for transport companies alone.
As part of LandSheriffs crackdown on graffiti a recording system was implemented so all discovered graffiti, whether it a small tag or a large image, on the HS1 network is logged and collated with a photograph and detailed report of location and content.
Thanks to this Graffiti Log system LandSheriffs have been pivotal in the capture and arrest of some of the most notorious graffiti artists and gangs in the South East of England. Intelligence gathered in these Graffiti Logs, through LandSheriffs Intelligence Bureau and Covert Surveillance have helped Police make arrests, gather additional intelligence from suspects homes, other gang members, infiltrate graffiti networks and make further key arrests.
During the opening of the HS1 Network LandSheriffs mobilised a unique, dedicated Graffiti Busting team. Deployed several weeks before the grand opening, which ran over a 3 month period in November 2007, ZERO graffiti attacks were recorded on the HS1 infrastructure during that time.
Graffiti on Underpass
Fly Tipping Crackdown
Fly tipping is a growing problem across England and Wales, and the cost of dealing with it falls on taxpayers and private landowners with a bill in excess of £100-£150 million every year. As the cost of landfill continues to rise rapidly, partly due to the tax evevator to encourage people & businesses to recycle, it will become even more expensive option and we anticipate a steady rise in flytipping across the country.
Only the rapid response and persistence of LandSheriffs teams has enabled us to shift Fly Tipping from a regular, prolific threat to health & safety to a point were offences have been reduced to a minimal amount.
"Since 2005 commercial fly tip has seen a dramatic fall from a persistent 100k + a month clean-up bill for NR to zero large commercial fly tips in 2010" - Robert Gallop NR (CTRL) HS1.
We have been able to cut commercial Fly Tipping across our remit to zero.
Fly Tip near HS1 land
Metal Theft Crackdown
In february 2011 the price of Copper peaked at £4,800 per tonne, seen by many as the new Poor Mans’ Gold, this spike in the cost has left the country under siege from metal thieves trying to cash in.
In just seven months in 2009 there were more than 300 thefts from the UK Railway Network, which cost Network Rail more than £5 million. Some figures put the cost of metal thefts to the UK economy as high as £360 million.
Understanding that this problem will only escalate as the demand for this key metal rises LandSheriffs implemented the use of SmartWater across the CTRL (HS1) Network. This combined with our mobile and foot patrols, signs and other initiatives we have seen a dramatic drop in the instances of metal theft on the network.
Not only does the theft of this cable put the rail network & traveling public in danger, these thieves put their lives in danger every time they touch one of these cables as each can have up to 25,000 volts running through it.
Cable cut from supply box
Working with Diverse Groups & Neighbours on the Route
LandSheriffs take great pride in the strong working relationships that have been built whilst patrolling the HS1 infrastructure.
In the course of duties we work with a varied selection of public and private individuals and companies, these including Local Authorities, the BTP, Metropolitan, Essex & Kent Police Forces, other Security Companies, Local Farmers, Land Owners, Landlords, Residents, Companies, etc.
Patrolling units have daily contact with any number of these groups and its thanks to LandSheriffs close bonds that intelligence and other useful information is passed on to patrolling units without hesitation.
C.H.A.L.E.T
LandSheriffs staff are trained in all respects of NR (CTRL) Ltd emergency procedures. Known as C.H.A.L.E.T, this encompasses attending, assessing and LandSheriffs specific controlling role in the event of a major incident on the HS1 Line or tunnel.
In regular C.H.A.L.E.T safety exercises, ranging from major incident on the line to train derailment management, LandSheriffs staff have constantly received excellent scores in exercise reviews.
LandSheriffs have Classroom Training from senior Operational Management at NR (CTRL) Ltd and also work & train alongside Emergency Services.
C.H.A.L.E.T. Training
Personal Track Safety Training
Before any LandSheriffs staff member can complete preliminary training they have to pass a Drug & Alcohol test followed by a medical examination, only then can they take the Personal Track Safety Training once passed allowing them to access the HS1 rail network.
LandSheriffs also reserve the right to conduct random test on all members of staff to ensure the continued high standard of service that we offer our clients and the safety of the general public.
PTS Handbook
London & Continental Railways
LandSheriffs have been successfully protecting land for London and Continental Railways Ltd (LCR) since 2007 we are entrusted to protect these valuable and vulnerable areas of land and property from attacks from fly tippers and to extend the protection to cover travellers, squatters and potential opportunist thieves.
LCR and have numerous properties and land across the NR (CTRL) HS1 network, encompassing key areas some of which are highly sensitive. With years of specialist knowledge, expertise and using only the latest equipment LandSheriffs ensure LCR Land & Property assets are fully protected 24/7 365.
NRIL
Cricklewood Depot
We were tasked with a 6 month contract to tackle Trespass, Diesel Theft and anti-social behaviour. Network Rail Maintenance were also suffering persistent tool theft.
Diesel & Tool thefts were cut to zero and Graffiti attacks cut by 90%. Which helped drivers, staff and site visitors to feel secure and reassured about personal safety.
Kent Route
After persistent and continued theft & vandalism (T&V), on various sections of the line, we were tasked with tackling this costly and potentially dangerous threat to the safety & running of the network across Kent.
Overt teams were dispatched and instances of T&V fell quickly and continued to steadily improve.
