Safer Transport Team Launched to Combat Bus Crime

After bad results for Ealing some good news

After figures reported on this web site revealed last week that Ealing had topped the league for an increase in bus thefts, the Police have announced the formal launch today of their Safer Transport Team, a dedicated police team which aims to improve safety on and around public transport.

The Safer Transport Team began work in Ealing Borough this month in an effort to combat crime on public transport. The team is currently made up of seventeen Transport for London community support officers who will work alongside local police officers to provide a familiar, visible and accessible uniformed presence across the borough’s transport network.

The role of the Safer Transport Team will be very similar to that of our local Safer Neighbourhoods teams.

They hope their presence on the network will increase the public's confidence and safety as they travel on the network, as well as detecting and preventing crime and disorder across the borough.

Their introduction to the borough follows the Mayor’s announcement last October to fund an additional 378 PCSO’s for London’s transport network.

The Metropolitan Police Service Commissioner, Sir Ian Blair and The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone officially launched the London wide initiative during a visit to Bexley on 20th March.

Operations Superintendent Andy Rowell, Ealing Borough Police, said: “I am delighted to welcome these new officers to Ealing Borough. I have no doubt their presence will improve passenger and staff perceptions of safety and security on our public transport network. The team will tackle low-level crime and disorder issues as well as ASB on our bus routes ensuring people who use the transport network feel safer, thus ultimately making Ealing Borough a safer place to live, work and visit.”

Since starting work on the borough last Tuesday May 8th, the Safer Transport Team have been posted on 13 local bus routes across the borough. They have conducted over 100 stop checks both on buses and at bus stops. Several intelligence reports have been completed on information given to them by bus passengers and staff. One stop check resulted in an arrest of a 70yr old man from Acton for a public order offence in Acton High Street on Monday 14th May.

May 17, 2007