Crime Czar: My fear of the Metro at night
DAME VERA’S SAFETY CONCERNS OVER RAIL NETWORK
NORTHUMBRIA Police’s crime chief has admitted that getting the Metro late at night can be worrying.
Nexus and Northumbria Police are working together to tackle issues including anti-social behaviour and underage drinking on the trains.
At a meeting, Police and Crime Commissioner Vera Baird said that she herself travels on the Metro late at night at times and that she feels it is “not great.”
Speaking at a Police and Crime Panel meeting at Gateshead Civic Centre, she said: “People do get quite worried on the Metro late at night. I myself sometimes come home on the Metro from the coast late at night and it’s not that great so we need to build people’s confidence up.”
North Tyneside councillor, Carole Burdis, said groups of youths had been travelling on the Metro with alcohol from Newcastle to Cullercoats and “causing chaos” on the beach.
Ms Baird replied: “Nexus are aware of this and are really upping their game.”
Nexus has recently appointed a new security manager who has a background with the military police and Ms Baird said he has already made a difference.
A report to the panel said Northumbria Police and Nexus “have a great working relationship” and that the force wants to promote the partnership.
A campaign is planned and striking posters with artistic images of police officers will appear at crime “hot spots” on the Metro line to remind people that detectives are working with Nexus and they could
be prosecuted. Assistant Chief Constable, Helen McMillan, said in a report to the panel that Nexus, the local Neighbourhood Policing Team and the Special Constabulary are conducting joint operations specifically targeting youths who are travelling into North Tyneside with alcohol and that this will continue over the summer holidays.
A spokesperson for Nexus said that if anyone ever doesn’t feel safe on the Metro they should raise the alarm as soon as possible.
They said: “Crime rates on Metro remain low and we work closely with the police to limit anti-social behaviour on the system.
“Patrols in the evenings have been stepped up to provide customers with reassurance and to ensure that more staff and police are visible on Metro. “Nexus pays for a dedicated Northumbria Police and British Transport Police Metro unit, and our own staff are also involved in regular patrols and ticket inspections. “This is backed up by our network of over 600 CCTV cameras which allow us to target hotspots.
“Anyone who commits an offence on Metro will be recorded on the CCTV system and the footage is used to support prosecutions.
“If any customer doesn’t feel safe on the Metro system then they should alert a member of staff, the Metro driver, or contact our control room using a station help point, or call us 0191 203 3666. If it is an emergency then always dial 999.”
I myself sometimes come home on the Metro from the coast late at night and it’s not that great Dame Vera Baird