The UK railway operator, Railtrack and the British Transport Police have a new weapon in the fight against railway crime in and around Manchester: Skyhawk. This is an initiative that aims to tackle crime and gather evidence by the use of camera-equipped aircraft. From 28 August 2002, BTP will be flying

a Railtrack sponsored BN Defender to cover areas where there have been a large number of railway crime incidents.

In Greater Manchester, there have been over 130 railway incidents in the last four months. Regular incidents involve children aged between 11 and 18 playing ‘dare’ across frequently used lines, throwing stones at passing trains and placing obstacles on the line, potentially causing train derailments. Problem areas for the railway industry include the Rochdale and Oldham areas, around Bolton and on the Atherton line.

Railtrack and the BTP have used helicopters to cover other parts of the north west UK, but have decided to use the BN Defender as they believe it has a number of advantages over a helicopter. Railtrack says that the Defender has a greater range of operational height - it can fly extremely low to act as a deterrent, but also has the ability to fly higher, making it more practical for detection purposes.

Other advantages outlined by Railtrack are that the Defender already comes equipped with on-board communications, allowing officers on the ground to be directed to any crime scenes. It is also claimed that the use of a plane is more cost effective than using a helicopter, meaning that it can remain airborne for longer periods.

Martin Frobisher, Railtrack asset manager for Manchester, said: “We are sponsoring the operation so that it is both a visible deterrent and a means for gathering vital evidence.