Volunteers brought back onto railway in Renfrewshire in bid to improve passenger safety

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A scheme to keep people safe while travelling on the rail network has been relaunched.Rail Pastor volunteers will patrol platforms and carriages looking for anyone who is vulnerable, distressed or in need of some assistance.But it has drawn the ire of a trade union that represents train staff, who say plans to remove train staff and instead rely on volunteers “directly jeopardises safety”.The service recommenced on the train line in Inverclyde, Paisley and Fife on June 29 after an absence of nearly three years.The initiative is run by the Ascension Trust (Scotland), the British Transport Police, the Samaritans and Scotland’s Railway, and is made up of trained volunteers from local churches.Since 2014, volunteer pastors have been patrolling sections of the railway in the UK.Renfrewshire Live, the new free app dedicated to bringing you around the clock breaking news, is now available to download.Powered by the Paisley Daily Express, Renfrewshire Live is your go-to source for news, features and sport with live coverage provided direct to the app, seven days a week.The dedicated team of experienced journalists, responsible for the publication of the award-winning Express, will focus on breaking news, day and night, across Renfrewshire’s towns and villages.There is also a dedicated St Mirren section that will follow every kick of the ball with the Buddies. Available on both Android and Apple.

D ownload here: smarturl.it/RenfrewLiveSocial They assist people who aren’t confident travelling alone, require first aid or who are suffering from more serious problems such as poor mental health.

They can identify and support those who require further assistance to get home or to a place of safety.The team of 18 volunteers will travel