Coalition parties pushing for bodycams on NS conductors

The coalition is pushing for bodycams to be given to conductors of the national railway company NS. Chris Jansen, the State Secretary for Public Transport, recently wrote that the NS will make a decision on this matter this year, but the coalition parties think that is too long. “Why does this decision take so long to make,” Hester Veltman of VVD wondered during a debate.

All of NS’s special investigating officers already wear body cams, the Cabinet wrote in October. A “significant investment” would be needed for a rollout of cameras for the 3,500 “service employees” under which conductors fall. The NS did a trial last year with body cams.

Hidde Heutink of the PVV said that cameras have a “deterrent effect” on people who make public transport unsafe. He wondered how long it would have to take for more conductors to be given a body cam. NSC MP Olger van Dijk argued that this should be possible.

An assault on an NS conductor by a group of boys in April resulted in all NS trains going on strike for three minutes in solidarity. It was reported last week that nobody has been prosecuted for this assault.