Drop in bus crime prompts Boris to deploy more police

08 October 2008

Police transport teams are to be rolled out across 30 London locations, mayor of London, Boris Johnson, announced this week.

The move follows the success of three schemes launched in May in West Croydon, Wood Green and Canning Town, where police ‘hub teams’ ride buses and patrol bus stations.

Police figures show the teams have reduced robberies by 37.8%, and overall crime by more than 16%. In addition to the roll out of the hub teams, 11 newly-deployed inner-London borough-based policing teams will be made permanent, after bus-related crime was reduced in the boroughs served by them by 13.6% in recent months.

Mr Johnson said: ‘One of the most frequent complaints made to me during the election was that local people did not feel safe on the buses. ‘I want to ensure that all Londoners can travel safely around our city, and can do so in confidence.’

Asked how the economic down-turn could affect investment in transport, in particular, the future of schemes such as Crossrail, Johnson said: ‘It is not up to me to guarantee that, but it is vital that they go ahead. ‘We are teetering on the brink of a recession but the worst thing we could do is fail to invest in transport infrastructure.’

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