Saturday, 6 October 2007

KINGSTON/SURREY: Targeting transport yobs

Targeting transport yobs

The 57 and 71 bus routes have been identified as hotspots on a "battlefield" of crime and antisocial behaviour on Kingston's public transport.

Ways to tackle the problem were discussed at the annual meeting of transport pressure group Kingston Area Travellers Association (KATA) last week.

Steven Whiteway, commercial director of Quality Line Buses, said that protecting against graffiti and vandalism costs £10,000 per bus.

He said: "We need a zero tolerance approach and need to make parents responsible for crimes their children commit.

“We need a zero tolerance approach and need to make parents responsible for crimes their children commit."
Steven Whiteway

"Drivers are being regularly intimidated and we spend more than £100,000 a year replacing smashed glass on our buses - it's a battlefield out there."

Members of the police's 21-strong Safer Transport Team (STT) spelt out how they plan to curb crime and fear of crime by youths on public transport in Kingston.

Sergeant Stephen Sharrock, head of the STT in Kingston, said crime peaked between 3pm and 6pm and between 10pm and midnight.

There will also be tailored initiatives to curb crime on the 71 service from Chessington to Kingston and the 57 Streatham to Kingston service.

He said: "We are using police community support officers who are a high visibility presence out there to provide reassurance, a deterrent and will help combat the perception of insecurity on public transport."

Sgt Sharrock said that from 2006 to 2007 there were 387 bus-related crimes - about one a day over more than 40 routes in the borough.

He said the police would work with KATA and local schools to improve safety.

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/localnews/display.var.1732823.0.targeting_transport_yobs.php

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