Safer Travel clamps down on 37 bus route

The Safer Travel Police Team and National Express West Midlands have launched a crackdown on anti-social behaviour and smoking on Solihull buses. The partnership has clamped down on the number 37 bus route following tip-offs from passengers and bus drivers.

Yesterday, Safer Travel officers and National Express inspectors spent two hours boarding buses along Dovehouse Lane. Passengers highlighted the 37 route for anti-social behaviour via the ‘See Something, Say Something’ text line. All texts sent to the service are reviewed and used to plan police operations for the coming month. Between 7:30am and 9am, National Express inspectors boarded around 20 bus services to check tickets and passes. Thirteen people without valid tickets were asked to leave the vehicle and interviewed by police.

Tony Dallison, Safer Travel Manager for National Express, said: "We cannot emphasise how important it is for passengers to report incidents of anti-social behaviour on buses. Every message we receive is shared with the police and used to plan operations such as this. With the help of our customers we can identify the minority of problem people to ensure they are fined and prosecuted." High visibility police checks combined with ‘See Something, Say Something’ and new CCTV technology have achieved impressive crime reduction results. Crime on and around the West Midlands bus network has plummeted by 19 per cent over the last year, and by 10 per cent in Solihull alone.

This means that crime on and around the region’s bus network has fallen by 54.5 per cent over the last three years and, excluding vandalism, there is now just one offence in every 126,187 bus rides. Information provided to the See Something, Say Something text line is used to identify potential hotspots for crime and to organise operations against offenders. Passengers who witness nuisance behaviour can text details to: 07624 818332. In an emergency always dial ‘999.’ Safer Travel is a partnership between West Midlands Police, Safer Birmingham Partnership, National Express West Midlands and Centro, the region’s passenger transport authority. The Partnership works to make bus travel even safer for passengers by deterring crime and anti-social behaviour on and around the network.

Published 15th July 2010