2005-onwards

February 2005

The largest-ever intake of new recruits to the force sees some officers sworn in at Ashford Police training centre for the first time. Others are sworn in at BTP’s Tadworth training centre.

7 July 2005

52 people die and 700 are injured as suicide bombers target London’s transport network. Bombings took place on London Underground trains near Edgware Road, King's Cross and Aldgate, and on a bus near Tavistock Square.

Read more about BTP's response to 7/7 here.

21 July 2005

BTP officers and other emergency services respond to three reported incidents at tube stations. Smoke at Oval Station, Warren Street and Shepherd’s Bush was reported as devices set off by terrorists were only partially detonated.

November 2005

Railway Accreditation Scheme is introduced. Staff working for train operating companies are trained to enforce railway byelaws and provide a high profile presence for passengers.

29 Nov 2005

BTP move force headquarters from Tavistock Place to new site in Camden.

Early 2006

BTP officers are granted powers to issue Penalty Notices for Disorder, bringing BTP in line with all Home Office forces in England and Wales.

3 April 2006

BTP launch new Crime Recording Centre, improving efficiency and level of service offered to victims of crime and front line officers.

June 2006

28 BTP officers travel to Germany to assist in policing England fans during the World Cup. Officers police fans as they travelled by rail to and from matches all over Germany.

October 2006

BTP appoint Ellie Bird as Superintendent Operations on London Underground Area. She is the first woman to have reached that substantive rank in 180 year history of railway policing.

27 November 2006

BTP is one of 10 forces to take part in trials of hand held, electronic fingerprinting devices, aiming to prove if the devices will allow officers to reliably identify a suspect through finger prints while on the ground.

February 2007

BTP officers begin patrolling Glasgow Subway, initially as part of a two month trial with the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.

23 February 2007

One passenger dies and 22 others are injured when a Virgin Pendolino train enroute from London to Glasgow derails in Grayrigg. 100 BTP officers worked as recovery operations and investigations got underway.

September 2008

As BTP develops its Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs), London mayor Boris Johnson launches 30 teams charged with policing the London Underground and its stations.

September 2009

Andrew Trotter replaces Ian Johnston as chief constable.

August 2010

21 people are injured when a National Express East Anglia service collides with a sewage tanker at an unmanned level crossing between Sudbury and Marks Tey.

August 2012

London hosts the 2012 Olympic Games. BTP takes part in the biggest peace-time police operation ever for the British police service. 80 per cent of spectators used the rail network to travel to venues.

May 2014

Paul Crowther OBE replaces Andrew Trotter as chief constable. It is the first 'home grown' chief constable appointment in 50 years.