Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to get Transport Safety Officers
It's one of just four areas in England getting Government funding for them
Last updated 7th Nov 2023
Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are to get new dedicated Transport Safety Officers (TSOs).
New front-line safety personnel will be rolled out on public transport in four parts of England areas to help stamp out anti-social behaviour on buses, trains and trams.
The TSOs will patrol targeted routes and locations, working in co-ordination with local police forces and the British Transport Police.
The officers will work to improve safety with an emphasis on engagement and education, however, they will also hold the power to issue fixed penalty notices in response to certain antisocial behaviour.
£2.5 million of Department for Transport funding is going into the pilot scheme.
The BCP area will benefit, along with Lancashire, Stoke-on-Trent and Thurrock.
Local authorities can develop and implement approaches that deal with the specific needs of their local area.
Transport Minister Richard Holden said:
“Antisocial behaviour is completely unacceptable – I want to see it eradicated from our public transport.
“As part of the Government’s Anti-Social Behaviour Action Plan, these new specially trained officers will help drive offenders off local networks, so that people can travel on their local train, tram and bus with peace of mind.
“The pilot will also give us a greater understanding of what works when it comes to tackling antisocial behaviour, enabling us to continue improving journeys for passengers in the future.”