With Croydon's night time economy thriving and growing numbers of bars and clubs coming to the town centre, the travel arrangements for revellers' home journey are under review.

A team of Croydon councillors are investigating how to improve the town's night time economy, including how to get clubbers and pubbers safely home after a night out.

With the potential for up to 20,000 people to pour into venues with entertainment licences alone, a large number of people have to be moved away from the town centre in the early hours, especially at weekends.

This leads to pressure on the reduced number of trains and buses running at this time of the morning.

Town centre operations manager Tony Hart said: "To support Croydon's evening economy and its transition into a fully operational 24 hour economy, the ability to get visitors to and from the town centre safely is key."

Although the council has no direct powers to intervene, councillors are set to lobby public transport operators for improved services to meet the heavy night time demand.

New means of transport may be encouraged, with venues possibly laying on mini-coaches to take customers home and black taxis being asked to switch attention from East Croydon station to the town centre.

Mr Hart added: "Late night public transport, increased CCTV coverage and the creation of well-lit, maintained and well policed walkways between venues and transport interchanges would help keep revellers of all kinds safe."

Following the rise in town centre housing, with more residents contributing to its vitality, Croydon wants to see a wider range of entertainment appealing to older age groups.

Croydon's Scrutiny chair, councillor Sean Fitzsimons, said: "We feel there is merit in assisting this diversity and the council can help maintain Croydon's popularity by, for example, talking to transport operators, leisure industry representatives and developers."

December 13, 2001 16:00