Assistant Chief Constable Mark Newton of British Transport Police said:

“Following the incident at Leytonstone station yesterday (5 December 2015), we would like to reassure the public that we are taking measures to ensure their safety whilst using the rail network.

“In line with well-established protocols when dealing with terrorist incidents, BTP officers are working closely in support of our Metropolitan Police Service colleagues to help with their investigation of the incident.

“The safety of the travelling public remains our top priority. In addition to our usual specialist response teams, last week we launched Project Servator deploying even more highly visible police patrols designed to identify and deter terrorism.

“Following the incident last night, we are now deploying still more officers in this role. They involve both uniformed and plain-clothed officers, supported by other resources, such as armed officers, police dogs, a network of CCTV cameras, and the thousands of rail staff we work alongside.

“We ask the public to remain calm and carry on using public transport as normal.

“Britain’s railway system is an open one which we all rely on to go about our day to day lives and get to and from work. The measures we put in place make the important balance between a system with easy access for passengers and a secure one.

“Critical to this effort are the public and many thousands of rail staff to be our eyes and ears – reporting anything suspicious to us. In an emergency they should call 999, otherwise they can report anything suspicious by texting 61016 or calling the Anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.”