Transport Case Studies

Below are examples of local initiatives. We are not suggesting that they will necessarily work in your location because each area will have different local levers which cause fear of crime.

Case Study 1

A new team targeting troublemakers has been launched in Northumberland. British Transport Police and community wardens employed by Northumberland County Council have joined forces to reassure passengers and deter offenders. The wardens are carrying out joint patrols with transport police officers to act as a visible deterrent. They can also make an immediate contact with police about incidents on trains, at stations or on line of route, and provide passengers with guidance on personal safety and crime prevention.

Train operator Northern Rail is actively backing the scheme and allowing wardens to travel free on key local services to undertake their patrols. The plan builds on existing arrangements for street wardens to patrol areas around stations, which began two years ago.

Case Study 2

The Oxford Brookes Student Union Safetybus was set up to provide students with a safe and affordable means of late night transport. The service is available between 9pm and 3am Monday to Saturday and 9pm and 1am on Sunday with a dedicated phone number. For a £1 donation, the bus picks students up from and takes to any destination within the Oxford ring road. The scheme is only open to Oxford University members and Brookes Student Union members. As the emphasis of the service is on safety, priority is usually given to people on their own.

All drivers and co-drivers are volunteers who work free of charge. There are 3 busses involved in the service with a mobile aboard each to contact other buses, with each bus carrying around 50 people at a time.

Case Study 3

Since the Secure Stations Scheme was set up in 1998, Thameslink have won secure status for 21 of the 28 stations it manages.

The scheme is run by Department for Transport and British Transport Police (BTP) in partnership with participating train operating companies. It sets out a template of standards for safety and security at stations. Once given the award, stations are re-evaluated regularly to ensure standards are maintained. To qualify for the award, station design must conform to BTP standards which include centrally monitored CCTV coverage, Help Points, secure fencing, improved signage and lighting. Staff must be trained to take steps to minimise crime, passengers surveyed for their views on the station environment and crime statistics from the last 12 months must demonstrate that the risk of crime at the station is being minimised and managed effectively.

Certification is finally awarded by the Department for Transport.

Case Study 4

The Freeman Hospital in Newcastle has been awarded the Parkmark Safer Parking Award. This is the first hospital in the Northumbria Police area to achieve the award. The award related to a new 13 floor, 810 bay multi-storey car park, which was built as part of the redevelopment of the hospital. The innovative design and pioneering construction techniques will be relied on by the hospital’s staff, patients and visitors and will help crime prevention in the area.

Case Study 5

SAFE is a partnership between the South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, BOSSY (bus operators serving South Yorkshire). South Yorkshire Police, local authorities, Supertram, Northern Spirit and the British Transport Police. It has been partly funded through the European Objective One.

SAFE was established to stem and reverse the loss of passengers to public transport by addressing concerns for personal security, the cost of travelling and increasing the reliability of the service.

There are a number of elements to the project:

• working with schools to carry out a comprehensive travel survey and develop an independent action plan for the school.
• driver appraisals for dedicated home to school bus transport, with school staff being part of the approval process.
• a SAFE free telephone line which receives 1,000 calls a month with about 200 from people who are genuinely concerned about their safety.
• use of SAFE GIS mapping system for the analysis of all public transport related incidents to target operations at hit-spots and problematic travel corridors.

The SAFEmark award is granted to schools that demonstrate concern about and implement a structured response to the particular school transport issue. Firstly, surveys are distributed to pupils, drivers, operators of the transport and staff, covering a range of issues which are relevant to each group. Following the research SAFE holds discussions with pupils to cover safe and secure use of public transport and responsible behaviour. An action plan is established with the school depending on their individuals concerns and requirements. Driver training seminars are in place aimed at improving the relationship between young people and bus drivers.

Case Study 6

The Safer Travel on Buses and Coaches Panel (STOP) was set up to reduce crime and the fear of crime wherever it occurs on the public transport system and particularly at bus stops and coach stations.

STOP looks at ways to combat assaults, anti-social behaviour and vandalism on vehicles and property. Representatives of bus operators, unions, transport and local authorities, the police, passengers and government departments are members of the panel. Click here for a link to the website