Metro staff assaulted and trains damaged by ‘small minority’
POLICE JOIN FORCES WITH NEXUS FOR TWO-DAY OPERATION
METRO staff who have worked on the frontline through Covid-19 are now being met with assaults, “foul language” and people refusing to wear masks as lockdown restrictions are eased.
More and more people are now returning to the Tyne and Wear Metro, but transport bosses say a “small minority” are misusing the system, making staff and fellow passengers feel unsafe.
This week, police and Metro operator Nexus joined forces for a two-day initiative called Operation Hermes, to target train troublemakers.
Northumbria Police say they are responding to “concerns from travellers” about anti-social behaviour and reports of groups of young people gathering around stations, although they note that overall, the level of crime on the Metro remains relatively low.
The operation has already seen plain-clothes officers riding the Metro to watch out for criminal activity, as well a surge of uniformed officers throughout the network, particularly in places which have seen a recent increase in incidents reported to the police.
Extra Metro staff will also be on hand, and troublemakers have been warned they could face arrest, prosecution a possible ban from travelling on the network.
Speaking at Monument Metro station on Thursday, Martin Kearney, chief operating officer for Nexus, said: “Unfortunately, we have seen anti-social behaviour taking place on the Metro, we’ve had some staff assaults and damage to units.
“We are now moving just over 45% of our normal customer journeys – which has risen from 5% at its lowest levels in lockdown – and that is growing, and as schools go back we expect to see even more. The Metro is incredibly important for the economic recovery, so our message is that it is important for everybody, so respect it.
“I’m incredibly proud of all our employees who’ve worked throughout this pandemic: my message is, if you see them, thank them, because they don’t deserve to see people refusing to wear a mask, or people smoking in stations, or hear some of the foul language.”
He said the issues were caused by a “minority” and that most passengers respected the rules – including on the key new issue of mask-wearing, a vital precaution in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic. “We’ve got a high level of maskwearing, although it is worse during the evening than through the day, and a lot of those not wearing a face mask are of the younger age group,” Mr Kearney added. “Our staff do challenge people on masks but also we try to proactively provide face masks and try to get the message out about why it’s important to wear them.”
Police say that although those who cause trouble could face criminal action, the initiative is also about encouraging those spending time at Metro stations to go elsewhere, making the public feel safe, and being “proportionate” in their actions.
Chief Inspector Ron Charlton, who is leading the operation, said: “Where you’ve got groups congregating around Metro stations, our high visibility uniformed officers will be engaging, educating them about the dangers, trying to divert them away, doing the outreach work.
“You have the dangers of the system of these groups, such as the live electric lines, but you’ve also got the perception of anti-social behaviour that they are creating just by being there.
“We want to reassure the public and make sure they feel safe. Our plain-clothes officers will also be able to watch out for those trouble makers, who are a very small minority on the Metro.”
Metro bosses say that overall the level of crime on the system remains low, and police say some groups gathering on the platforms are younger people who aren’t necessarily committing crime, but who may be making other passengers uncomfortable and who should be encouraged to find better places to meet.
Chf Insp Charlton added: “It’s not about criminalising young people. We will be very proportionate and I wouldn’t expect arrest numbers to be high, it’s about outreach and education.”
Police now have the power to forcibly remove those not wearing a mask without a legitimate reason from public transport, or to issue £100 fines – but the chief inspector said it was “rare” that this is required.
“We will do what we’ve done throughout the whole Covid-19 pandemic: we engage, explain and encourage and we find the vast majority of people, once it’s explained, do comply, it’s very rare that we will have to enforce it.”
The Metro is incredibly important for the economic recovery so respect it
Martin Kearney