Transport police make one arrest in 237 terror searches

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Statistics show 32,338 searches were carried out on Tube, rail or bus passengers in 2007/8 using Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, which allows checks to be conducted without suspicion.

Only 136 resulted in arrest and it is understood that of those the vast majority — if not all — had no connection with terrorism.

British Transport Police, which carried out the searches, defended its use of the power and claimed the searches were intended to deter potential terrorists.

Despite this, the Government's independent reviewer of terror legislation, Lord Carlile of Berriew, this week said the powers were being misused. The Met, which has conducted 154,293 Section 44 searches since October 2007, has responded by announcing that it intends to curb its use of the power.

Today's figures also prompted fresh calls from London politicians for Section 44 to be severely curtailed. Jenny Jones, a Green Assembly member who also sits on the Metropolitan Police

Authority, said searches should be linked to intelligence and "genuine suspicion" and were only serving to alienate commuters.