Crime crackdown off to flying start

Travelsafe Unit officers patrol the platform at a Metrolink stop

A new unit, set up to make Greater Manchester’s buses and trams even safer by tackling crime and antisocial behaviour on the networks, has already had a significant impact in its first two months.

Under the three-year pilot scheme, a 16 strong team comprising of police constables, police community support officers, special constables and security personnel provide regular patrols on the region’s travel networks to tackle and prevent crime and antisocial behaviour.

Between its launch on 1 April and 28 May, the Travel safe Unit provided a presence on 1,652 vehicles.

The unit has also made 23 arrests for a variety of offences, issued 1,074 penalty notices and conducted 64 gateway check operations. In addition to this activity, more than 1000 invalid tickets have been identified.

Led by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the scheme uses crime and antisocial behaviour data from contributing operators – Metrolink RATP Dev Ltd (MRDL), First Bus and Stagecoach – to deploy patrols in specific areas at key times to respond to identified demand.

Having a dedicated team provides expertise and knowledge that assists in the identification of repeat offenders, while the provision of body-worn cameras, in conjunction with existing public transport CCTV, helps gather evidence for prosecutions.

The pilot is also focusing on preventative measures and youth education. Uniformed officers have already visited Manchester Health Academy and are planning further visits to schools across the region to educate youngsters on the dangers, impacts and consequences of crime, antisocial behaviour and fare evasion on public transport.

The scheme has been funded for three years but will be subject to formal annual reviews and regular scrutiny by a strategy group made up of members from organisations involved.
TfGM Metrolink Director, Peter Cushing, said: “Public transport is a safe way to travel and the purpose of the unit is to help reinforce and maintain that.

“The initiative is allowing regional public transport operators to work in closer collaboration, sharing intelligence and targeting activity, and I think the results so far show that this is a positive approach.”

Chief Superintendent John O'Hare said: "Enabling commuters to travel safely and without fear of crime is a key priority for us all and it is pleasing to see the Travelsafe Unit has already begun to make a difference across the transport infrastructure.

"By working together we can provide a more efficient service to members of the public and send a clear message to offenders that they are not welcome on any of our transport networks."