BRITISH Transport Police has a groaning infrastructure which is impoverished and inadequate, claims a report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary.

The report says solutions to key questions have been delayed, with the handling of calls in acute crisis.

Crime management has moved forward little in three years, although the force has improved on many other fronts.

Theft of passengers' property had soared 30 per cent since the last report two-and-a-half years ago and the detection rate in this area is a derisory 2.5 per cent.

Robbery has been reduced by 32 per cent and detections raised by 26 per cent but violent crime, excluding robbery, has risen by 20 per cent, although the detection rate has improved by 11 per cent.

The report added that British Transport Police's record of clearing up the most serious offences was very good and there was professional competence and confidence.

But it said that the transport police's capacity had been diluted by the investigations into rail crashes and there was a need to review roles and responsibilities involving the transport police, the Health and Safety Executive and the newly established Rail Accident Investigation Branch.