A joint collaboration between British Transport Police (BTP) and Network Rail has resulted in the successful implementation of the Airwave Service into two service helicopters.

The trial, which commenced 12 months ago, involved the installation of the radio equipment (cradle and handsets on loan from BTP) in the Network Rail helicopters assigned with the task of conducting track surveys and special operations.

In conjunction with the installation of the radio equipment in the helicopters, a fixed desktop has been installed at Network Rail’s National Operations Centre to facilitate integrated communications between the aircraft and BTP.

“The helicopter users have access to our sharers’ hailing talk group, which facilitates direct communication with our control room. Our operators can then immediately deploy the necessary officers in response to the information received,”says Stuart Bines, HQ Communications, BTP

Users also have access to the BTP air-to-ground talk group and the BTP interoperability talk group to facilitate communication with units on the ground if they are at the scene of a major incident, or if they are on pre-planned operations.

All BTP-trained air observers have been issued with separate handsets to connect to the Airwave Network for pre-planned operations when they accompany Network Rail in the helicopters.