Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income - Amounts in OCI (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Other Comprehensive Income Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	$ (57.8)	$ (232.6)	$ 251.0
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	20.4	78.5	(113.8)
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	58.6	95.7	76.7
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(20.2)	(36.0)	(27.2)
Total benefit plan adjustments, net of tax	(1.0)	94.4	(186.7)
Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	(109.8)	(88.3)	(32.3)
Income tax related to foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	0.3	0.0	0.0
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	5.7	1.3	(0.5)
Income tax of foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.3	0.1
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(103.8)	(86.7)	(32.7)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Pretax unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts arising during the current period	0.6	0.1	(0.3)
Income tax related to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts arising during the current period	(0.2)	0.0	0.1
Pretax unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(1.1)	(0.5)	0.4
Income tax related to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.4	0.2	(0.2)
Total unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.2)	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Pretax gains (losses) on cash flow hedge amounts arising during the current period	3.3	0.7	2.9
Income tax related tocash flow hedge amounts arising during the current period	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pretax cash flow hedge amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(3.6)	(0.9)	(2.3)
Income tax related to cash flow hedge amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total gains (losses) on cash flow hedge, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.2)	0.6
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	(163.7)	(320.1)	221.3
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Before Reclassifications, Tax	20.5	78.5	(113.7)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	59.6	95.6	74.3
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment From AOCI, Tax	(19.8)	(35.5)	(27.3)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(103.4)	(181.5)	154.6
Cost of revenues	2,471.6	2,948.2	3,059.2
Selling, general and administrative expenses	463.8	560.6	546.8
Other operating expense	(69.4)	(81.0)	(9.4)
Interest and other income (expense)	(3.4)	(1.9)	(1.5)
Amounts attributable to Brink's:
Other Comprehensive Income Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	(57.1)	(231.2)	251.9
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	20.4	78.1	(114.1)
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	58.1	95.3	76.4
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(20.2)	(35.9)	(27.1)
Total benefit plan adjustments, net of tax	(1.2)	93.7	(187.1)
Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	(106.2)	(82.2)	(30.9)
Income tax related to foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	0.3	0.0	0.0
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	5.7	1.3	(0.5)
Income tax of foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.3	0.1
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(100.2)	(80.6)	(31.3)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Pretax unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts arising during the current period	0.6	0.1	(0.3)
Income tax related to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts arising during the current period	(0.2)	0.0	0.1
Pretax unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(1.1)	(0.5)	0.4
Income tax related to unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.4	0.2	(0.2)
Total unrealized gains (losses) on available-for-sale securities, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.2)	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Pretax gains (losses) on cash flow hedge amounts arising during the current period	3.3	0.7	2.9
Income tax related tocash flow hedge amounts arising during the current period	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pretax cash flow hedge amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	(3.6)	(0.9)	(2.3)
Income tax related to cash flow hedge amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.0	0.0
Total gains (losses) on cash flow hedge, net of tax	(0.3)	(0.2)	0.6
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	(159.4)	(312.6)	223.6
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Before Reclassifications, Tax	20.5	78.1	(114.0)
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	59.1	95.2	74.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment From AOCI, Tax	(19.8)	(35.4)	(27.2)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(99.6)	(174.7)	156.4
Attributable to Noncontrolling Interests
Other Comprehensive Income Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	(0.7)	(1.4)	(0.9)
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts arising during the current period	0.0	0.4	0.3
Pretax benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.5	0.4	0.3
Income tax related to benefit plan adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	(0.1)	(0.1)
Total benefit plan adjustments, net of tax	0.2	0.7	0.4
Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	(3.6)	(6.1)	(1.4)
Income tax related to foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	0.0	0.0	0.0
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.0	0.0
Income tax of foreign currency adjustment amounts reclassified to net income (loss)	0.0	0.0	0.0
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(3.6)	(6.1)	(1.4)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), before Reclassifications, before Tax	(4.3)	(7.5)	(2.3)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Before Reclassifications, Tax	0.0	0.4	0.3
Reclassification from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, Current Period, before Tax	0.5	0.4	0.3
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment From AOCI, Tax	0.0	(0.1)	(0.1)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(3.8)	(6.8)	(1.8)
Benefit Plan Adjustments | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Other comprehensive income (loss)	1.2	(93.7)	187.1
Cost of revenues	36.1	68.0	66.8
Selling, general and administrative expenses	14.3	29.5	17.5
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(100.2)	(80.6)	(31.3)
Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments | Netherlands CIT Operations
Other Comprehensive Income Foreign Currency Transaction And Translation Adjustment Net Of Tax Period Increase Decrease [Abstract]
Pretax foreign currency adjustment amounts arising during the current period	8.0
Gains (Losses) on Cash Flow Hedges | Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Derivatives Qualifying as Hedges, Net of Tax [Abstract]
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(0.3)	(0.2)	0.6
Other operating expense	4.1	1.9	3.3
Interest and other income (expense)	$ 0.5	$ 1.0	$ 1.0