 Bombers targeted three tube trains on 7 July |
Emergency communication systems have been improved following the 7 July bombings, a review committee has heard. Police, fire and ambulance services are rolling out new digital radios to reduce reliance on mobile phones.
Poor communication was considered to have hampered the rescue operation, a London Assembly report said in June.
It said there was over-reliance on the mobile phone network and it was "unacceptable" that rescue teams could not communicate underground.
Lessons learned
London Assembly's 7 July review committee heard 18 of the 32 Metropolitan Police boroughs now use the Airwave mobile radio system.
The remaining boroughs are expected to be using the system by the end of next year.
The London Fire Brigade and London Ambulance Service aim to be on the system by the end of 2008.
As well as removing their dependence on mobile phones, the new radio system will allow the emergency services to communicate underground.
Tim O'Toole, of London Underground, said a new digital radio system, called Connect, was also being installed across the network.
It will be able to link up with the Airwave system allowing emergency services to communicate between the surface and the tunnels.
Commander Bob Broadhurst, of the Metropolitan Police, said lessons had been learnt from their response to the bombings.
"We were strong on 7/7 and I think we are even stronger now but there is much more for us to do," he said.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
