A PIONEREERING new initiative to stop crime on buses will run London-wide after a successful pilot scheme in Lewisham.
London Mayor Ken Livingstone has launched his £25m Transport Policing Unit across the 33 boroughs after positive trials on the 185 route between the borough and Victoria.
The initiative will see dedicated police units patrol buses and bus lanes on 26 key bus routes across the capital.
Over a two-week trial period, officers patrolling the 185 route and the 82 between Victoria and North Finchley made 23 arrests, handed out 750 fixed penalty notices, removed 22 illegally-parked vehicles and gave 30 parking tickets. The arrests were for offences varying from robbery to illegal minicab touting.
Mr Livingstone said: "With over 4.5 million bus journeys being made throughout London every day, I want passengers and staff to know they are travelling in a safe environment, free of disorder, graffiti and anti-social behaviour and illegally-parked vehicles."
The project is running from a state-of-the-art control room in Victoria and is manned by both the Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police.
July 9, 2002 14:00
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