Police say extra patrols have reduced tram network crime in Nottingham

Police action has helped lead to a reduction in antisocial behaviour (ASB) across Nottingham's tram network.[1] Reports of ASB have dropped by 34 per cent on the city's trams in the last year, according to Nottingham Express Transit (NET). It's claimed that a key reason for this has been the extra resource provided by Nottinghamshire Police to help identify and stop criminal behaviour.

Regular patrols are carried out by officers from the city's neighbourhood policing teams - both on the trams and in and around the platforms. The reason for doing this is to try and stop crime before it happens, while reassuring residents and engaging with passengers, including young people.

In addition to providing this visible presence on the city's trams, officers also often carry out plain clothed operations to try and spot offending when it does happen. Nottinghamshire Police also holds regular meetings with NET, which runs the tram network, and works with partners like Nottingham City Council to see what else can be done to make public transport safer.

While incidents of violent behaviour are rare, most offences reported involve ASB - including damage being caused to ticket machines, shelters and on the tram itself. Despite reports of ASB on the network dropping in the last year, the police and NET have vowed to continue working together to improve public transport further. Chief Inspector Chris Pearson, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "Keeping people safe in our communities is our top priority as a force, and that extends to when they're riding the tram and other public transport.

"Nottingham's tram service makes around 14 million journeys each year, so unfortunately when that many people get together, incidents of criminality can occur. "The majority of reports we receive tend to be linked to lower-level criminality like antisocial behaviour and criminal damage, as opposed to incidents of violent disorder, which are much rarer. "We're committed to doing everything we can to try and prevent these offences from happening and to quickly identify anyone who breaks the law while using the tram network.

"As part of this, our officers carry out regular patrols across stations, platforms and on the trams themselves to provide a visible presence, assurance to the public and a deterrent to offenders. "We also conduct plain clothed operations too, and attend monthly partnership meetings with Nottingham Express Transit, where we discuss how we can improve the experience for those who use the tram. "Everything we do in this regard is with the intention of helping people feel safe when they travel across our communities, so we will continue to work with the network to try and do precisely that."

Sarah Turner, service delivery and safety director at NET, added: "Fortunately, serious incidents are rare on the tram, and we work closely with the police, community groups and other agencies to ensure the network is as safe as possible for both customers and employees. "Actions we've taken include joint patrols and other intelligence-led operations to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour. "As a result, we've seen a 34 per cent reduction in reports of antisocial behaviour between 2022 and 2023, and we're constantly striving to ensure trams remain one of the safest forms of public transport.

"When incidents are reported, we also do everything we can to help identify those responsible and this has led to a number of successful prosecutions.

"We would also like to remind customers they can discreetly report any concerns they have via our dedicated WhatsApp number, 0115 824 6060, or by using the emergency help buttons on board trams and at stops."

o Driver dies in collision after travelling wrong way on M1 motorway[2]

References

1. ^ Nottingham's (westbridgfordwire.com)
2. ^ Driver dies in collision after travelling wrong way on M1 motorway (westbridgfordwire.com)