GETTY Paris is bolstering security with a series of new measures aimed at fighting terrorism

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Valérie Pécresse, the conservative president of the wider Paris region, said an additional 20 sniffer dog teams would be used to detect illegal drugs and explosives and screen rail passengers for bomb-making materials; and that the dogs would be trained “before the end of 2019”. The bomb-sniffing ‘squads’ – which will cost some €4m (£3.5m) to train – will be sent to patrol Paris’s busiest railway stations, including the Gare de Lyon, the Gare du Nord and the Gare Montparnasse.

GETTY Valérie Pėcresse said an additional 20 sniffer dog teams would be used

Travellers will feel reassured by their presence; and at the same time, they will help keep criminals and terrorists at bay Valérie Pécresse

The Paris official added bomb disposal experts would be called to the scene “as a last resort,” and that the sniffer dogs would be the ones to “raise the alarm” once they had identified a package or a passenger as “suspicious”. Mrs Pécresse added that an additional 200 security agents would be hired and sent to patrol Paris buses before the end of 2020, at a cost of €10m (£8.7m).

GETTY Mrs Pécresse added that an additional 200 security agents would be hired

The security agents, she said, will have the power to carry out “random” identity checks. She said: “Travellers will feel reassured by their presence; and at the same time, they will help keep criminals and terrorists at bay.” In addition, “all” Paris buses are to be equipped with security cameras before the end of 2018.

GETTY The security agents will have the power to carry out "random" security checks