Transport minister Simon Burns has announced the appointment of five new board members to the British Transport Police Authority (BTPA).

BTPA was founded in 2004 and acts to bolster public accountability for the British Transport Police.

It oversees the allocation of funding for transport police services, as well as strategic planning for both the medium and long-term goals of the rail protection sector.

A strong stance on reducing rail crime is beneficial to UK hauliers, as Department for Transport figures showed that in 2006-07 the total cost of criminal activity on rail, light rail and the London Underground network cost the taxpayer £926.9 million.

Stella Thomas, Catherine Crawford, Andrew Pollins, Dominic Booth and Mark Phillips will all take up new appointments from September and will represent the interests of rail service suppliers, passengers and freight providers in the UK.

Mr Burns commented: "The calibre of these new appointments is extremely high and I look forward to seeing them bolster the work of the authority."