Bausch confirmed that 80% of Luxembourg's train stations have already been fitted with CCTV cameras. The end goal, as the minister explained, is for each and very station to have CCTV cameras.
The parliamentary commission predominantly discussed safety in trains on Thursday morning. The minister provided a report on his meeting with the head of the CFL and with trade unions last week to the MPs of the commission. As Bausch explained, there was a consensus to accelerate the existing programme to improve security. The minister told the commission that he plans on creating a joint task force, incorporating the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works and the Ministry of Interior Security.
The goal is to introduce a public transport police unit. The minister hoped to work on the concept and preferably introduce such a unit by the end of the year. As Bausch explained to MPs, the police and other corps belonging to the state should be should be engaged in public spaces.
As it stands, trains are already fitted with CCTV cameras. Bausch reiterated his point of fitting all stations with surveillance cameras, highlighting that every incident is one too many. That said, the minister did point out that the situation in Luxembourg remains decent compared to in neighbouring countries.
The Democratic Party MPs were receptive to increased CCTV in the realm of public transport, but MP Max Hahn did remind the minister that the police is struggling with a lack of recruitment. As a result, he argued that the government must find new ways to combat incidents occurring on public transport, which he conceded is a formidable challenge. Hahn suggested perhaps involving the army in order to guarantee safety.
Hahn went on to argue that public transport requires massive investments in order for residents to make the most of it and in order to guarantee safety. The CSV also praised the minister's support for introducing a public transport police unit. CSV MP Marco Schank claimed the idea had been at the forefront of discourse on public safety in light of the recent incident in Oetrange.
In the future, 80% of passenger flows will be surveilled by cameras and 10% of trains will have security personnel. Schank expressed his support for the move, as neighbouring countries already have specialised police units for public transport.
