Brussels, 23/11/2005 (Agence Europe) - A series of trials of security systems will begin next year in a number of underground stations in London, beginning with Paddington Station, the British Secretary of State for Transport, Alistair Darling announced at the first international conference on anti-terrorism security in public transport which took place on the 14 and 15 November in London. Techniques similar to those used in airports, such as X-ray machines, body scanners, and sniffer dogs trained to detect explosives, will be tested on willing public transport passengers. The lessons drawn by Transport for London (TfL) from the 7 July terrorist attacks on London public transport, and presented to security experts from 23 different countries during the conference, have shown the efficiency and state of preparedness of staff: 500 trains and 200,000 people were evacuated right after the explosions, and the rescue operation was very fast - 85% of the system was running again on 8 July. “Our staff did a marvellous job. Our people on site made the difference” said Tim O'Toole, London Underground Managing Director, with satisfaction. The number of CCTV cameras - there were 6000 in operation in 2005 - at the disposal of TfL staff will double in the next five years and 100 additional policemen will be recruited in 2006, over and above the 200 agents already hired after the 7 July attacks to strengthen emergency planning. “We have to accept that public transport is a potential target for terrorist activity” said Hans Rat, Secretary General of the International Union of Public Transport (IUPT). “While that threat cannot be totally eliminated, the IUPT is convinced that significant progress can be made through effective strategy coordination to improve accident prevention and rapid response”. Training and regular drills with public transport staff, preparation of an emergency plan detailing each person's tasks and simulation exercises with all the first responders are the key elements in anti-terrorism security in public transport, concluded the experts.