Passengers across the West Midlands are being urged to do their bit to help crack down on smoking, playing loud music and other types of antisocial behaviour aboard the region’s buses.
The See Something Say Something campaign was officially launched today giving passengers an interactive website and text messaging service through which they can anonymously report any incidents of nuisance behaviour they witness.
Information left by passengers on the www.safertravel.info website, or through the National Express West Midlands Safer Travel Textline on 07624 818332 will be used by police to identify potential hotspots and to organise operations against offenders. Those without access to the web or a text messaging service can phone West Midlands Police on 0845 113 5000.
The See Something Say Something campaign has been set up by Safer Travel, a partnership between West Midlands Police, Birmingham Community Safety Partnership, National Express West Midlands, Centro and the British Transport Police. The partnership is dedicated to making bus travel even safer for passengers by deterring crime and anti-social behaviour on and around the network. Inspector Dean Hatton, head of the West Midlands Police Safer Travel team, said: “We are not encouraging passengers to challenge people who they see deliberately trying to annoy others with their bad behaviour on buses.
“What we are saying is send us your information and we can use it to identify routes where there may be a particular problem and decide on a solution. This is an opportunity for passengers to do their bit for their local community and help stamp out such unacceptable behaviour.”
The See Something Say Something campaign was launched in Birmingham’s Victoria Square with the help of young people from Hillcrest School in Bartley Green, Harborne Hill School in Edgbaston and Dartmouth High School in Great Barr, who were given a presentation by the Safer Travel team on the importance of good behaviour while on the bus. They were also shown how to use the website and text messaging service.
Hillcrest School pupil Sophie Williams, aged 14, said: "We don’t want hassle on the bus. If people are doing stuff they shouldn’t then at least you can now do something about it and no one will know."
James Fisher, a 17-year-old Sixth Form student at the Q 3 Academy in Great Barr, added: “I think this idea is really good for people who may feel a little bit nervous and don’t want their name mentioned. I think there could be much less bad behaviour on the buses because of this."
Cllr Jon Hunt, who represents Birmingham City Council on Centro and is lead member for buses, said: "We know that passengers want safe, undisturbed travel and the City Council has made it a priority to back this project. This is your chance, if you are a passenger, to help ensure that bus travel is a pleasant, peaceful experience."
Hundreds of posters carrying the See Something Say Something message and contact information have been put up in bus shelters and on board National Express West Midlands buses.
The launch of the website and textline to combat anti-social behaviour follows successes by the Safer Travel Police Team in cracking down on crime and vandalism. In the last year alone figures show there has been a reduction in crime on and around the bus network of 33 per cent, including a 59 per cent fall in criminal damage.
