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Trouble on the buses with 20 attacks a week
Saturday 30th January 2010, 10:25AM GMT.
Nearly 20 violent crimes are carried out every week on buses and at transport interchanges across the West Midlands, new figures show.
A sex offence is also committed on the network every three days, according to the figures which reveal there have been 13,272 crimes reported during the last three years.
The disturbing list, released by West Midlands Police under the Freedom of Information Act, includes serious sexual assaults, wounding with weapons, robberies and arson.
In all there have been 3,028 violent crimes, 2,524 robberies and 363 sexual offences recorded since 2007.
The figures do not include crimes reported on the train system itself, which is patrolled by British Transport Police.
But councillor Angus Adams, chairman of Centro’s leading Transport Strategy Committee, said the figures were relatively small given the thousands of journeys made each day on public transport.
He said: “We are aware certain areas have problems and we are doing everything in our power to combat that.
“There is a dedicated safer travel team which are there specifically to patrol and deal with problems on our bus networks, and that is to be increased with extra funding in 2010.”
Hilary Hopker, West Midlands police spokeswoman, said the fact reported crimes had fallen from 5,464 in 2007 to 3,573 last year showed new police tactics were working.
She said: “The safer travel team work very closely with all bus companies so if there are any issues we can deal with it quickly and directly.”
The figures come just weeks after Wolverhampton City Council’s Scrutiny Review Committee ann-ounced it was to carry out a review of safety on public transport over claims many residents were becoming too scared to travel.
Councillor Bob Jones, chairman of the review, said: “Crime and the fear of crime will put people off using public transport. The bus network is vital and it absolutely must be a place where people are safe.”
He added greater use of CCTV on vehicles and increased police patrols would all be looked into by the review.
By Colin Drury
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People are using public transport less so this also will have an impact on the crime figures, and the reason they are using public transport less is because of these crimes. Its far safer using private car and a lot cheaper too, with comfort knowing you will be on time.
These figures dont encourage me to travel with public systems.
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THEY WILL HAVE TO EMPLOY POLICE ON THE BUSES NOW THERE ARE SO MANY ATTACKS. NO WONDER THE PUBLIC DON’T USE BUSES ANYMORE
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This is one of the reasons I learnt to drive at the age of 33, I was sick of being abused, sick of the attitudes, sick of people smoking cannabis upstairs, people playing music on their mobile phones for everyone to hear, people trying to get on for free and when challenged by the driver, swearing and punching the partition. They need a heavier police presence, as drivers are often to afraid to tackle bad behaviour. I went downstairs once and told the driver there was a gang of youths smoking cannabis upstairs and they had walked round the bus closing all the windows. He went upstairs to say something but got told to go back downstairs “old Man” I stayed downstairs but when these youths got off the bus, endured a barrage of abuse! I heard of a mass mugging on one bus route, a gang of youths robbed everyone on the bus. How do they get away with it????
So glad I learnt to drive!
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Wonder what Phil Batemen has to say about all this..plus the view that most people don’t even bother reporting crime any more because they feel it’s not worth the effort. I see people taking drugs, shouting, swearing and intimidating passangers..the drivers? They don’t want to get involved. This is the reality for many of us.
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“He added greater use of CCTV on vehicles and increased police patrols would all be looked into by the review.”
Sure. In the meantime the camera’s are either poor quality, or they are dummy cameras. Just like the dummy mentality that uses paying passengers as political pawns. The police are non-existent – this is the price way pay for putting idiots in power.
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I agree that there is a problem with people smoking drugs on buses. However there seems to be an increase of reports in the E & S of car jackings at gunpoint. Also how many thefts are there at traffic lights, road junctions etc of muggers opening doors\smashing windows of cars.
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There tends not to be gangs of dangerous strangers prowling the back seats of our cars.
As for car jacking, it is at nowhere near the level of trouble on busses. And, simply locking the car doors can reduce the effect of car jacking. Passengers on buses, other than the driver, lack the safety of a door to lock between them and their daily assailant.
busses are dangerous…we all know it.
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WHY NOT EMPLOY TAZAR MAN A TRAINED USER OF THE GUN .AND ZAP ALL THE IGNORANT LOUD MOUTHED
NER DO WELLS THAT TRAVEL ON THIS TRANSPORT
GONE ARE THE DAYS WHEN YOU COULD TRAVEL IN SAFETY AND IF YOU MISBEHAVED THE CONDUCTER WOULD THROW YOU OFF THE BUS.
THE COWERDS OF TODAY WOULD STAB HIM OR SHOOT HIM AND ROB HIM OF HIS TAKINGS.
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This is shocking!!
I’ll be so glad when I get my car in a month and won’t have to use the bus again!
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If you’re looking for hassle…catch a bus.
If you want to get there safely…drive. Simples.
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What a sick country I have left behind.
I never needed convincing I did the right thing but reading trash like this does remind me why I left.
Again it is all talk and ”reports” and NO action.
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DOES BATEMAN EVER USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT. NO HE IS TOO AFRAID OF GETTING MUGGED
CRIME IN THE WEST MIDS GOING DOWN – I THINK NOT
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When I go to Coventry I have to use a bus…to get to the University Hospital…as I can’t drive for me annual eye test. It used to be a walk across the city centre but the moved it all to one hospital out in the ‘sticks’.
Back here in Wolves I have to cycle to work…I just don’t feel safe using the bus…which is two buses for a 3 and half mile journey. I rarely get the car as the wife needs it for work.
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Learn from the Paris East End.
1/An all-out transport strike because working conditions are not guaranteed
2/Bypass areas where attacks have happened for several weeks
3/Have a proper security service operating on all public transport on a random basis.
4/Have police and/or security service vehicles following buses and in radio contact.
5/Night drivers have special training to remain stoic and continue driving even if there are seroius fights concerning half the passengers.At the worst they drive to the nearest police station and block the doors.
Blanc Mesnil is a twin town to Sandwell.Sandwell council should travel around a bit there.The Tilleuls flat complex is notorious.This is what happens there regularly on the 148 and N42 night service (as a passenger on the latter I have been attacked several times and also pickpocketed a night it was busy).The day before yesterday a brick got lobbed through a window of the 346 at the limit of Blanc Mesnil.
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