NOW is not the time to be taking the eyes and ears away from the railway, a union boss has said in the wake of the Paris terror attacks.

RMT general secretary Mick Cash has highlighted the importance of having sufficient staffing levels in place along the country’s transport network – which is seen to be a prime target for terrorist attacks.

He stressed the importance of having sufficient staff on the network both to keep an eye out for any suspicious behaviour, and also to deal with an emergency situation when it arises.

His comments came as Brussels shut its metro network down over the weekend amid fears that terrorists would strike in the Belgian capital.

Mr Cash said: "RMT officials will continue to ensure that safety and security are right up the agenda in all of our discussions with the transport companies and provider organisations.

“We are aware that the transport providers will be re-evaluating their security arrangements and the unions will expect to be centrally involved in that process.

"We know only too well that the transport network is a prime target for terrorist attack and that vigilance and advance preparation are crucial. Safety and security of passengers and staff alike is our overriding priority.

"This is no time to be cutting back on staffing levels when we know that across every part of the transport system it is those staff that are both the eyes and ears on the ground and the critical element to safe evacuation in response to any alert."