CCTV on commuter trains

CCTV cameras are being fitted to trains in London as part of a £5 million bid to protect the capital's transport network from terrorism.

The cameras, being installed on three lines owned by National Express; Silverlink, Great Northern inner suburban routes and five stations on c2c, will help police spot suspicious activity.

The move comes as police revealed links between the key figure in the Madrid bombings and a number of Islamic terror suspects with connections to London.

Transport for London, the Mayor's transport authority, today announced the final stage of £5 million security improvements to mainline services - along with proposals for tens of millions more to come. Much of the money is being spent on fitting CCTV to trains and stations. The money will come from the taxpayer and fares.

Although the deal was set up before the Madrid attacks it will provide desperately needed extra security.

Under the CCTV deal £785,000 is being spent on West Anglia Great Northern inner suburban trains operating from King's Cross, Moorgate and Liverpool Street stations;

£500,000 on equipping all trains on Silverlink's North London line - North Woolwich to Richmond - and the suburban route between Euston and Watford.

£100,000 to upgrade CCTV at five stations - Limehouse, Barking, Upminster, Dagenham Dock and Rainham - on c2c, which operates from Fenchurch Street station.

The rest of the money is being spent on service enhancements, such as extra late-night trains paid for by TfL. Ian Brown, managing director of TfL's London Rail division, said: "It is important that Londoners who travel on these trains feel they are safe and less threatened." The unique deal, totally funded by TfL, will be used by Ken Livingstone to promote his plans for control of the London end of mainline train routes.

A TfL source said: "London's services are so pivotal to the economy that it makes sense for the body responsible for London to have control of those services."

Next week the Mayor will reveal details of his submission to the major review of the national rail network being conducted by Transport Secretary Alistair Darling. The review, expected to result in major changes to the way the entire network is controlled, will be published in the summer.

The Mayor, as part of his submission, will include his plans to spend tens of millions of pounds more fitting CCTV across the London end of the network.

The move came as senior police sources revealed there are definite links between terrorists operating in London and Madrid. Intelligence officers believe the chief suspect in the Madrid massacre, Jamal Zougam, has contacts with a number of North Africans in the UK.

He has visited Britain at least once with a senior cleric named as al Qaeda's head in Spain, Imad Eddin Barakat Yarkas, alias Abu Dahdah.

Police believe the pair met the extremist cleric Abu Qatada in London. Dahdah is being held in Spain while Qatada is being held at Belmarsh in south London.