Safety officers get power to fine rowdy passengers

Deputy council leader Amjid Wazir and Staffordshire Police Chief Inspector Laura Davies pose with four transport safety officers

Safety officers are set to patrol buses to target badly behaved passengers they will have the power to fine.

Bus wardens in Stoke-on-Trent though are aiming primarily to deter and prevent such behaviour on board, as well as provide reassurance to the travelling public.

Four officers are already working across the network, with a further two to be deployed next month.

Ch Insp Laura Davies, of Stoke North Local Policing Team, said: “No one should suffer from fear, intimidation, abuse or violence on our public transport network and so we welcome today’s introduction of transport safety officers.”

Bus wardens will patrol buses to help travellers feel safe

The scheme was announced last November, following success in the Transport for West Midlands area.

Stoke-on-Trent is one of the places, which also include Bournemouth and Thurrock, selected to pilot the scheme.

Officers will work in groups of two across different shifts to cover routes throughout the day and night with the authority to issue fines for littering, flyposting and vandalism.

They are currently patrolling the bus network that includesHanley and Longton bus stations, ahead of the scheme going city-wide.

Safety officer Sam Gibson said: “We’re not just here for Hanley bus station, we’re Stoke-on-Trent.

"So there can be a time when you might see us in Tunstall because there’s been a report of something going on. We’re not just riding the bus, we can go to town centres.”