‘Surge’ in police presence across major UK rail stations after horrific train attack

The attack on a high-speed LNER train after it left Peterborough station in Cambridgeshire saw 10 people rushed to hospital, with two currently in a life-threatening condition.

In the wake of the incident, extra police officers are set to be deployed across the rail network.

These additional officers are likely to be sent to London, Birmingham, York, Leeds, and Manchester, as well as to Huntingdon.

The clearest visible presence is to be expected in the capital and at Huntingdon.

A heavier police presence will also be felt on the East Coast mainline.

Government sources have outlined that, while officers usually focus on stations, it was “important to reassure passengers”.

On the night of Saturday, November 1, it is believed a man with a large knife attacked passengers on a LNER train after it left Peterborough station in Cambridgeshire.

Armed police were deployed to Huntingdon station, where the train had stopped, after reports were made of the incident.

Speaking at the press conference on Sunday morning, Police Superintendent John Loveless said: "At this stage, there is nothing to suggest that this is a terrorist incident.

"This is a British Transport Police investigation and we continue to work to establish at pace the full circumstances and the motivations that have led to this incident."

The senior officer said: "It’s a shocking incident and first and foremost, my thoughts are with the family and friends those who have been affected and those who are injured.

"Approximately 7.42pm yesterday evening, there were calls to the police service in relation to multiple stabbings which took place on board a train service."He added:

"The train departed Doncaster at 6.25pm, and was en route to London King’s Cross Station.

"Officers immediately attended Huntington station alongside paramedics, where armed police officers from Cambridgeshire police boarded the train and arrested two people within eight minutes of the 999 call being made.

"Two men were brought into police custody, where they remain this morning.

"I can tell you that these are: the first male, a 32-year-old male, a black British national and a 35-year-old man, a British national of Caribbean descent, they were both arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

"As stated, they remain this morning in separate police stations for questioning," he said.

The Superintendent added that counter-terrorism police had initially supported the operation, but the incident was now not being treated as terrorism-related.

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