It is an idea that would make the life of Blakey from On The Buses a lot easier.

Bus ticket inspectors in Wolverhampton will be equipped with Robocop-style CCTV cameras from next week in a bid to clamp down on attacks and fare dodgers.

The “headcams” cost between £800 and £900 each and are no bigger than the size of an AA battery but can capture high- quality images.

The investment is a far cry from the methods used by harrassed bus inspector Blakey – famous for the catchphrase “I’ll get you, Butler” – to keep watch on passengers in the hit sitcom which ended in 1973.

Between seven and 10 days of training will take place from Monday as part of a pilot scheme being rolled out in the city by National Express West Midlands. It is believed to be the first time that a bus company has used the equipment, previously tested out by the police. National Express West Midlands today said Wolverhampton had been chosen because of its dense bus network and the decision did not suggest the city had a big problem with bus crime.

Spokeswoman Carly O’Donnell said: “This is taking place in connection with the Safer Travel Partnership. It will not be the drivers using these headcams.”

The company has said it is “very keen” to make travel safer for employees and passengers.

The headcam will allow an inspector to gather information on things that happen during the course of a working day so that bosses can review it and, if necessary, use it in court.

Just one camera is being used to begin with but it is not yet known how long the pilot scheme will continue.

If it is a success it could be used across the West Midlands.

Police officers in Wolverhampton were first given the digital cameras on their heads in June 2007.

This week the Express & Star revealed how the Safer Travel Police Team, a 30-strong team of police officers, have made 125 arrests in the past year at a cost of more than £1.4 million.