Labour Party police commissioner candidate Bob Jones has outlined proposals which he says will make it safer to use public transport in the West Midlands.
If he is elected PCC in November, Mr Jones will negotiate with operators to give Special Constables free travel on buses, trams and local train services, bringing them into line with the privileges enjoyed by police officers and police community support officers.
Other pledges in a safer travel manifesto include:
- Retaining safer travel teams to continue the fight against crime.
- Expanding night time taxi-marshall schemes in trouble hotspots.
- Expanding the use of temporary CCTV cameras to cover trouble hotspots at bus interchanges and train and bus stations.
- Working with Centro and operators to compile a database of graffiti tags and other intelligence to tackle the issue of vandalism to stops, stations and vehicles.
Mr Jones outlined his plans during a visit to the central command centre for the West Midlands at Centro, the integrated transport authority.
The centre co-ordinates security on public transport in the West Midlands, overseeing 800 CCTV cameras in Coventry, Solihull, Birmingham and the Black Country.
He was joined by Labour’s Shadow Police Minister David Hanson as he toured the £1.2 million facility dedicated to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour on buses, trains and trams.
Mr Jones said: “I will give our Special Constables the same status as Police Officers and PCSOs who already have free travel on public transport in the West Midlands.
“Thousands of people rely on public transport. I am committed to taking a zero tolerance stance on crime on public transport.
“I am committed to retaining Safer Travel Teams. They do a great job keeping public transport safe in the West Midlands.”
