VIRGIN Trains become the first UK train operator to provide body worn cameras to combat Britain's 'violent railways'.

Following a pilot scheme, Virgin Trains rolled out 275 cameras across its entire network, including Warrington, reducing assaults on staff from 20 in March, to just six in September.

Results from a survey revealed that more than 80 per cent of staff felt safer at work while wearing bodycams and nearly 90 per cent would recommend them to colleagues.

British Transport Police has direct access to footage from the cameras, if needed, speeding up investigations and possible prosecutions.

Research showed that when rail employees at station barriers wore bodycams as part of a trial last year, physical assaults against them fell by 47 per cent.

This trial was conducted by the University of Cambridge with five train operators, including Virgin Trains, the British Transport Police (BTP) and the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), which represents the rail industry.

Work is now under way between rail companies and BTP to develop a joint rollout of the technology across the country.

Chief Inspector Lorna McEwan, of The British Transport Police, said: "The introduction of body worn cameras is an important step along the road in helping to ensure the safety of rail staff and passengers alike.

"Being assaulted or verbally abused simply for doing your job is completely unacceptable.

"No one should ever have to feel unsafe, especially when they are at work, and these cameras will help provide us with vital evidence should the inexcusable happen."

Mick Cash, general secretary of the national union of rail, maritime and transport workers (RMT) said that despite this improvement, more needs to be done to protect staff.

He said: "There must be zero tolerance of assaults on rail staff and this is a victory for RMT's campaign to reduce attacks on our members.

"However, there is still much more to be done and the use of devices such as body worn cameras must be accompanied by proper safeguards to protect staff which don't leave them singled them out for disciplinary action.

"It is also no good bringing in such protective measures when at the same time the Government and train operators are de-staffing trains and stations, leaving the workforce and the travelling public more vulnerable to assaults and anti social behaviour.

"The fact that body worn cameras are being rolled out is just another reflection of the state of Britain's violent railways.

"Assaults and abuse are on the rise and yet the Government are inflaming the situation by demanding driver only operation on their franchises.

"That dash to de-staff the railway needs to stop.

"There is no point bringing in bodycams if there is no one to wear them and that fact alone highlights the dangerous stupidity of companies like Northern and South Western Railway and their plans to axe guards."