Trains to hire 200 more for night train security

NS is hiring 200 additional people in order to increase safety on trains, especially during the night time hours, RTL Nieuws reports. NS is deploying 140 additional chief conductors so that all trains traveling after 10:00 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays will have a second chief conductor on board. The other 60 people are safety and service staff. They will work in flex teams that can be used in places where they are necessary. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment earmarked 10 million euros for this plan. "Drivers, conductors and other people working on public transport are doing socially important and difficult work." State Secretary Sharon Dijksma said. "Then there is only one motto: for those people, we all have respect and keep our hands off them."

NS and the unions have had several consultations on how to improve safety and security on trains. After an incident in Landgraaf last week, in which a German conductor was stabbed, the unions called for immediate action. This is what NS came up with. NS expects that the extra people will be ready to deploy in the course of next year.