Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department has taken to prevent signal cabling theft on the rail network.

Tackling trespass and vandalism, including cable theft, is a top priority for the rail industry, alongside the British Transport Police (BTP) who are responsible for policing the railway in England, Scotland and Wales.

BTP adopts an intelligence-led approach to combat cable theft across the rail network, working closely with partners such as Network Rail and the National Infrastructure Crime Reduction Partnership to identify high-risk areas and target their resources effectively.

The Department for Transport is using strengthened relationships with Shadow Great British Railways partners such as Network Rail, the DfT Operator and Train Operating Companies to identify immediate and longer-term measures to reduce the impact on railway performance. This work includes improved physical deterrence, the use of new technology and better data collection and analysis.