The British government has scrapped a(n insane) plan to bring “airport style” security measures to the nation’s train stations — a plan that would have required the millions who board the overland rail system every day to have their bags X-rayed, go through metal detectors (and, presumably, remove their shoes and get rid of their liquids).
A trial found that introducing airport-style checks would be impractical and antagonise the public.
The transport minister, Tom Harris, said the public would not accept the resulting delays and there would be objections about personal privacy if an extensive screening regime was introduced.
“Screening equipment and dogs can be effective in the railway environment,” said Harris in a written statement to parliament. “However, given the very large passenger flows and thousands of entry points on the UK rail and underground networks, 100% airport-style screening is currently not feasible.”