Tram troublemakers facing £1,000 fines
METROLINK BOSSES ARE CLAMPING DOWN ON BAD BEHAVIOUR
METROLINK passengers who swear, vape, get too drunk or litter on trams and at stations are likely to be fined £1,000 starting in the new year.
Transport bosses are taking a harder line than ever before on nuisance behaviour in a bid to stamp out troublemakers.
They are focusing on key byelaws that already exist on the network.
But while flouting them in the past would likely only result in a dressing down, passengers will now be prosecuted and forced by a court to dig deep and cough up.
In the year to July 2018, there were 520 reported byelaw offences across the Metrolink network.
The most reported offences were throwing objects, verbal abuse and improper use of emergency door handle activation.
It is part of Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Metrolink Monsters campaign, which first appeared in March.
At the time, it focused on annoying behaviours like sneezing without covering your face or talking loudly on your mobile phone.
This time, it’s been ramped up to cover illegal behaviours, represented by new monsters such as Smoky Joe, Drunken Duncan and Vaping Vera.
The monsters will appear at stops, adverts inside the trams, across social media and on the Metrolink Monsters website. They will also appear on cards that TravelSafe Officers will hand out to those found breaching the byelaws during November and December. The cards will act as a warning ahead of stricter byelaw enforcement from January. Aline Frantzen, managing director at KeolisAmey Metrolink, said: “Behind the lighthearted nature of the campaign is a serious message. “There are some unacceptable behaviours which spoil the Metrolink
Behind the lighthearted nature of the campaign is a serious message Aline Frantzen
experience for law-abiding passengers and we want to make it clear that these actions have serious consequences.
“From January, those who engage in illegal activity will face fines and court action, so it’s better for everyone to avoid becoming a ‘Smokey Joe’ or a ‘Naughty Nelly.’”
Danny Vaughan, TfGM’s Head of Metrolink described as ‘unacceptable’ the ‘ignorant behaviours’ that were spoiling passenger experience.
He added: “The byelaws exist to prevent this from happening so our message is clear - from January you are far more likely to be prosecuted and fined up to £1000 if you choose to ignore or flaunt them.
“The Metrolink Monsters campaign will be highly visible across the network for the next two months and will hopefully serve as a reminder to people of the consequences of their behaviour.”
These are the main byelaws being targeted:
ALCOHOL AND FOOD
It is prohibited to consume: alcohol, either on the trams or at stations or food which will ‘disfigure or destroy the property of any other person or any vehicle or station.’
It’s also illegal for those ‘in a state of intoxication’ or under the ‘effects of an illegal substance’ to enter a tram or station - or risk getting booted off a tram or kicked off a station.
SMOKING, FIRES AND LIGHTS
No ‘lighted smokeables’ allowed, including pipes, cigars or cigarettes on any tram or station.
And unless you have prior written consent from the operator, you can’t bring fire or any other naked light on to the network.
OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE AND NOISE
No ‘obscene, threatening, abusive or insulting language or behaviour.’
EMERGENCY HANDLE MISUSE
NO misuse of, tampering with or damaging any part of the system - including ticket machines, public address devices and alarms or emergency stops.
LITTERING
No throwing or dropping litter or any other items or leaving litter on trams or any part of the network. Except in the bins.