Bus Bosses Hail Anti-Crime Partnership

Dundee's largest bus operator, Travel Dundee, have today praised their pro-active 'Operation Safer Travel' anti-crime partnership with Tayside Police.
Phil Bateman, Divisional Corporate Affairs Director said: "During last year our OST partnership on Tayside helped to introduce many new initiatives for the benefits of both our staff and customers. We saw the roll-out of DNA Swab Kits to all customer facing staff, a huge step forward in the fight to identify those who spit on our staff whilst on duty. DNA is becoming an increasingly popular tool in the fight against bus crime and we are continuing to monitor the situation and how we can improve the evidence we are collating. 2004 also saw the launch of our 'Yes They Do!' CCTV awareness campaign which is targeted at those who believe that on-bus CCTV systems don't work. The Company spend a huge amount of money to help ensure the safety of passengers and CCTV is now there to both deter and detect criminal acts. Travel Dundee remains a low crime bus operation in a low crime city.
He added, "Travel Dundee is now one of the very few bus operators in the UK to operate their bus fleet using 100% low-floor, easy access vehicles and also have the added benefit of having 100% CCTV coverage. We are proud to have such an effective partnership with Tayside Police and looking forward to continuing to make journey's safer for all. Our OST partnership has made huge strides in improving customer safety and we are pleased to be reporting this at our Travel Dundee operation.
"More initiatives will be taking place in 2005. It is important that we continue to move forward and improve the safety of staff and passengers and OST will always give us the vehicle through which to implement and promote these initiatives."

Published 12th April 2005