Safer Travel on Dundee’s buses – that’s the aim of a new initiative launching today (Monday 29th April).
New initiative to tackle antisocial behaviour
Partnership launched to establish action plan
Xplore Dundee is working in partnership with Police Scotland and Dundee City Council’s Antisocial Behaviour Team to make sure that passengers and drivers can travel without fear of harassment or assault.
Managing Director of Xplore Dundee, Christine McGlasson said: “Although it’s rare for our employees or customers to experience crime on our buses, safety is our top priority and we want to make every effort to reduce incidents of antisocial behaviour to the very minimum.
“Passengers can board a bus feeling secure, knowing that officers or wardens are standing by, should anything untoward happen. And our drivers should be able to do their jobs without worrying about aggression or assault of any kind.
“Likewise, we will do our part by reporting any antisocial incidents on or around our buses, and providing support to the teams investigating disturbances. I really hope this partnership will not only make bus travel safer, but will have a wider positive impact on the communities we serve.”
The Safer Travel Partnership aims to reduce antisocial behaviour around buses, by ensuring incidents are handled consistently and effectively. Community wardens will continue to have access to free bus travel, which gives them easy transport across the city and provides a reassuring presence for other passengers. They’ll be working alongside police officers who will also monitor bus travel closely and build up a good working relationship with drivers, offering advice and gathering information which can be used to take action to stamp out low-level crime.
Xplore Dundee already works closely with community partners to help educate young people involved in antisocial behaviour and regularly delivers safety messages to schools and youth organisations.
The new Safer Travel initiative helps to formalise these already strong working relationships between the bus operator, police and local council.
Chief Inspector Nicky Russell said: "This new initiative has been put in place to set out local processes to facilitate Xplore Dundee, Police Scotland and the Community Safety and Antisocial Behaviour Team working together to manage and prevent incidents of criminality and antisocial behaviour on or near Xplore Dundee’s buses.
”This initiative will provide support and reassurance to Xplore staff and passengers and ensure that whilst they are carrying out their work or travelling on the bus they can do so without fear of any incidents.
“It is our intention through this joint protocol to have Police Officers and Community Safety Wardens regularly carrying out high visibility patrols on the buses and to prevent the number of incidents of criminality or antisocial behaviour happening and in turn keep drivers and passengers safe.”
Councillor Alan Ross, city council community safety and public protection convener said: “I am pleased to see the launch of this approach bringing together expertise from the council, Xplore Dundee and Police Scotland to help improve safety for both passengers and staff on buses.
“We are all determined to do as much as we can to act against antisocial behaviour.”
Councillor Lynne Short, city council city development convener, said: “The council and its partners are working hard to encourage more people to take the bus as part of active travel choices across the city.
“This new initiative will help reassure passengers and bus staff and send a clear message that antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.”
