Safer Transport Command

Report: 7
Date: 14 October 2010
By: Assistant Commissioner Territorial Operations on behalf of the Commissioner

Summary

This report requested on behalf of the Strategic and Operational Policing Committee, details the recent history of the Safer Transport Command and lists the Objectives and Key Performance Indicators used to monitor performance within the command.

A. Recommendation

That

1. Members are asked to consider the Safer Transport Command (STC) and discuss current performance and emerging risks moving forward.

B. Supporting information

1. The Safer Transport Command was formed in April 2010, merging the Transport Operational Command Unit, (TOCU) with borough based Safer Transport Teams (STTs) and Hub Teams. A new set of Objectives and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) have been set. A new Special Services Agreement (SSA) is near completion, encompassing all the police functions provided. The Objectives and KPIs form an important part of the contract. They are used to allow Transport for London (TfL) and the MPS to assess the effectiveness of the contract, monitor performance and address any issues as they arise.

2. Performance is monitored in a number of ways including via the Safer Transport Advisory Committee (STAC) involving senior managers from both the STC and TfL and also through other strategic partnership meetings. Individual borough Safer Transport Team (STT) performance is monitored at a bi-monthly Joint Tasking Action Group; (JTAG) co-chaired by MPS and TfL senior managers.

Objectives

3. There are three objectives for the STC, each with a series of Key Performance Indicators. Previously, there were separate objectives for TOCU, the STTs and the Hub Teams. All these objectives have now been merged into a single set covering the whole command.

Objective 1: Bus related crime, antisocial behaviour and fear of crime

4. To reduce the fear of crime and ensure the safety and security of staff and the public on and around the London bus and public transport system and its interchanges by:

1.  Reducing bus and other transport related crime,
2.  Reducing anti social behaviour affecting the transport system,
3.  Reducing and preventing crime against bus and other transport infrastructure,
4.  Increase public confidence in and satisfaction with the policing on and around the transport network.

Objective 2: Roads policing and walking/cycling

5. To maximise people movement and minimise delays and disruption on London’s surface transport system, in particular by:

1. Ensuring the efficient movement of buses by dealing with and preventing obstructions,
2. Smoothing traffic flow by focusing on reducing congestion caused by unplanned traffic problems, collisions and Transport for London Route Network, (TLRN) parking contraventions,
3. To work with the wider-MPS, other partners and police agencies to support TfL’s wider strategic aspirations with regard to walking, cycling and road safety.

Objective 3: Taxis and private hire vehicles

6. To enforce the law relating to taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV) to ensure the safety of the public by:

1. Reducing the risk of cab-related sexual offences and other serious crime,
2. Reducing taxi touting by tackling illegal cab drivers and operators,
3. Support Taxi and Private Hire Directorate (T&PH) compliance activities and enhance the ability of the licensed trades to operate in a safe and effective manner.

The full list of KPIs are contained in Appendix 1.

Performance summary

7. The STC, in partnership with TfL, has made some significant progress against the objectives set out above. The creation of a single command for transport policing in the MPS continues to deliver significant benefits for London, the transport system and the travelling public. Bus related crime is at its lowest level in over six years and passenger confidence and perception of transport safety and security has improved considerably. Further more, the Command has and continues to play a significant role in delivering the Mayoral commitments around cycling and smoothing traffic flow. Some of the key achievements are highlighted below.

Bus-related crime

8. Crime figures from the MPS Performance Information Bureau showed an 8.1% reduction in bus related crime (2,194 fewer offences) compared to the same period in 2008/9. This reduction builds on an 18% reduction in bus-related crime in 2008/9 and an 11% reduction in 2007/8.

9. The chart below shows the volume of crime since 2004/5 against bus patronage levels. Crime levels have fallen since 2007/8 against an increase in the number of journeys made on the bus network.

Table 1 - Bus Crime Levels and Bus Journeys (Millions)

10. The crime rate per million passenger journeys for the bus network stands at 11.1 for 2009/10. This is an improvement on the 2008/9 rate where there were 12 crimes per million passenger journeys on the bus network and has almost halved from 2005/6 when the crime rate was 21.6 crimes per million passenger journeys.

11. In 2009/2010 criminal damage offences fell by 36.9% (1,377 offences), violence against the person by 9.7% (743 offences) and robbery by 7.9% (221 offences). Increases were seen in sexual offences (6% - 31 offences) and theft and handling (2.9% - 320 offences).

12. The majority of boroughs (26 boroughs) saw reductions in bus-related crime in 2009/10 compared with the previous year. The greatest reduction was seen in Bexley with a reduction of 34.3% which is on top of a 43% reduction seen last year in the borough. Bus-related crime also fell by 29.5% in Greenwich, 24% in Lewisham, 23.7% in Bromley, 23.2% in Kensington and Chelsea and 22% in Sutton.

13. Bus-related crime rates per million passenger journeys can be found in Appendix 2. Year to date figures (April - July 2010) show a 4.4% reduction in bus-related crime (374 fewer offences) compared to the same period in 2009.

14. The greatest reductions were seen in bus-related criminal damage (16.9%), sexual offences (16.8%) and theft (9.2%). There was a 4.4% increase in violence against the person offences (an additional 95 offences) and a 5.1% increase in robbery offences (an additional 41 offences) over the same period. Analysis of these offences has been undertaken to inform the deployment and tactics of Safer Transport Teams and other resources in the Safer Transport Command.

Passenger Perception

15. TfL’s quarterly safety and security survey for July 2010 which shows ‘the proportion of Londoners who have significant concerns about crime and ASB on public transport such that it deters then from using it ‘as 29%. This figure is significantly lower (statistically) than in April 2008 when it was 35% but is not significantly different from the levels seen last quarter (April 2010) or July 2009.

16. The proportion of Londoners citing ‘concern about the anti-social behaviour of others’ as a deterrent to using public transport has significantly reduced since April 2009 (42% versus 47%).

17. Women’s perceptions of safety and security on the transport system have shown even greater improvement. The latest survey shows that 35% of women have concerns compared to 45% in April 2008.

Operations and Engagement Activities

18. There are numerous operations and engagement activities undertaken within the command that contribute towards the STC, MPS and wider TfL/Mayoral Objectives, a number of examples are listed below:-

Operation Safe Bus

19. Operation Safe Bus is an initiative that addresses identified peaks in crime and anti- social behaviour. These are anticipated at the end of the school term prior to the summer holidays, during the first week when children return to school and in the week between Halloween and Bonfire Night. The operation is planned in conjunction with the Operation Blunt team which oversees the MPS response to knife crime and serious youth violence.

20. During the operation the Safer Transport Teams work closely with Safer Neighbourhood Teams, Safer Schools Officers and local authority partners. During the School holidays this year, pro-active operations were run at selected transport hubs.

21. So far this year, (end of school term and summer holiday activity) this operation has already generated 284 arrests and 6,894 stop and searches. There were also 381 weapons sweeps undertaken.

Operation Sharvor

22. This operation has been designed and implemented to tackle criminality at Victoria coach station which has receives coach services from Europe into London. The operation has been deployed on 11 occasions since February 2010. This is a partnership operation and has a number of aims and objectives which include preventing knives and other weapons coming into the UK from Eastern Europe via Victoria coach station and is a proactive searching operation. Weapons are being carried into the UK by organised gangs for use in criminal activity.

23. Partners include the United Kingdom Borders Agency, (UKBA), the Vehicle and Operators Service Agency, (VOSA), Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, (HMRC), the Serious and Organised Crime Agency, (SOCA), ‘Human Trafficking’ agencies and charities. On the 26th August 2010, in a 10 hour period, 26 people were arrested or formally warned for offences varying from simple cannabis possession, to international drug importation. To date a total of 97 people have been arrested for numerous offences. A number of coaches have been served with prohibition orders and deemed unsafe for travel. Further deployments have been planned until the end 2010.

Safer Travel at Night

24. Planning is underway for this year’s Safer Travel at Night (STaN) activities which aim to reduce the use of illegal cabs and contribute to the reduction in cab-related sexual offences. The intention is to deter and disrupt illegal cab activity and to get people home safely during key times during the year. All 32 Safer Transport Teams (STTs) are involved working closely with the Cabs Enforcement Unit (CEU), identifying and arresting taxi touts and undertaking high visibility patrols in the vicinity of night clubs to help the public ensure that the public get home safely.

Travel with Pride

25. Safer Transport Command units increased their links with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender, (LGBT) community by supporting Pride London and Brighton Pride and also undertaking a month of action where they undertook local engagement activity promoting safer travel and build lasting relationships between the LGBT community and the Police.

Cycling

26. The Safer Transport Command have taken the lead with cycling within the MPS, setting up a Cycle Task Force of 30 staff to deal with cycle security, especially in relation to the Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme, (BCHS) and identifying those involved in cycle theft. Since the team started in June 2010 they have arrested 50 people and property marked 7,000 cycles. Safer Transport Teams on borough set priorities to deal with cycle theft and engage with the cycling public via cycle marking schemes.

Operation Froswick

27. The STC respond to industrial action impacting on the travelling public by providing a uniform presence at priority locations identified by TfL. The teams provide support to TfL colleagues by ensuring that the public are able to safely access the buses provided and generally assisting the public by providing helpful information.

The Olympics

28. The STC will play a pivotal role in the successful delivery of the 2012 Games, predominantly the provision of a safe, secure and resilient Olympic Route Network (ORN). TfL has been mandated to deliver the ORN on behalf of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) and as such, the STC will be responsible for any policing activity required. This will mainly take the form of Traffic Warden and Police Community Support Staff who hold civil enforcement powers as well as enhanced traffic training. In addition, it is also anticipated that specialist officers from the STC Roads Response Teams will deal with spontaneous congestion and security activity on the ORN.

29. Operational plans are being prepared to deal with the increased passenger flow on the transport system in order to maintain public order, safety and reduce the risk of terrorism and criminality within these crowded places. This activity will predominantly be delivered by the 32 borough Safer Transport Teams who hold the relevant local knowledge and expertise required. They will however be supported by other STC staff as needed.

30. An Olympic planning team has already been established with strategic responsibility for counter-terrorism and voluntary schemes such as the Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary, Met Volunteers Programme and Voluntary Police Cadets; all of which has relevance in meeting our 2012 responsibilities.

Hub Policing

31. The Mayor’s commitment to enhance policing on the bus network through the creation of 32 Hub policing teams at priority locations across London have made a significant contribution to the overall reductions in crime on the transport system and have had a positive effect on the travelling experience of Londoners. The Hub teams, which work as part of the 32 local Borough Safer Transport Teams provide high visibility, locally accountable policing at busy transport hubs across London and work closely with the British Transport Police.

32. A programme of work has begun between the STC, TfL and the BTP to improve joint working and the coordination of policing activities at priority hubs across London. The coordination of policing activities will be improved through joint tasking and deployment, unified intelligence and analysis of issues and priority setting at three strategic hub locations, Victoria, Stratford and Finsbury Park.

Partnership Working

33. The Safer Transport Command is one of the most innovative commands within the MPS in terms of partnership working and has just re-located to the Palestra building at Southwark. The offices are open plan and MPS staff work alongside colleagues from the Community Safety & Partnership (CSEP) team within TfL.

34. Activities within the command are funded via a Special Services Agreement allowing for non core policing services to be provided. Teams work closely with Revenue Protection Inspectors, (RPIs) and travel on the bus network to reduce crime and anti- social behaviour on the bus network and at transport hubs.

35. The control rooms of the MPS STC, MPS Traffic and London Streets Traffic Control Centre, (LTSCC) and CentreComm, the bus operator control room are all jointly sited within the control room at Palestra.

36. Joint operations are run with the British Transport Police, (BTP) and the City of London Police and work is currently underway to improve intelligence sharing. A ‘Fusion Centre’ is being introduced which will allow BTP, TfL and MPS staff to look at the holistic intelligence picture from across all three agencies. This information will then be used to task transport policing resources within the MPS and BTP.

Future Financial Implications

37. The majority of funding for the Safer Transport Command is provided by Transport for London with some funding from the MPS. The Special Services Agreement which allows this funding has already been approved by the MPA.

38. The final level of funding for the 2010/2011 financial year will not be finally decided until after the Comprehensive Spending Review which is being conducted by the Government in October 2010. It is not possible to identify any potential resource or financial implications, within the current or future financial years, until after that time.

Efficiency and Effectiveness Review

39. A review of the level of resources on Safer Transport Teams has already been conducted utilising data about the level of bus crime on each borough and at transport hubs. Some changes have been recommended but these are pending until after the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Problem Solving

40. Within both the STC and TfL there is a high level commitment to problem-solving which is delivering sustainable reductions in crime and ASB on the transport system. TfL received a Goldstein Problem Solving Award in 2006 for ‘Safer Travel at Night’ and were finalists in 2008 for their work in addressing youth crime and anti-social behaviour on the bus network. Safer Transport Teams have performed well in the MPS Problem Solving Awards with Bexley and Bromley teams both winning awards.

C. Other organisational and community implications

Equality and Diversity Impact

1. Many of the case studies within this report were subject to specific Equality Impact Assessments to ensure the needs of the community and staff were met. Success of these examples, such as the recent transition of TOCU into Territorial Policing, are a direct result of the equalities impact assessment conducted.
The change programme required to deliver the proposed process evolution and any savings as a result of the Comprehensive spending Review will also be subject to a comprehensive equalities impact assessment to gauge and mitigate impact.

Consideration of MET Forward

2. The three objectives set for the Safer Transport Command help to achieve all three Met Forward objectives and the Efficiency and Effectiveness Review recently undertaken will ensure that policing services are provided with ‘best value for money’ principles.

Financial Implications

3. Financial matters are covered in a separate report to the MPA about Special Services Agreement contract.

Legal Implications

4. Legal implications are also covered within the Special Services Agreement contract.

Environmental Implications

5. Making the bus network safer and more reliable encourages more passengers. There has been an increase in passenger use but also a 32% reduction in bus related crime.

Risk Implications

6. The most significant risk is the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review which is as yet unknown. This may lead to reductions in funding for STC from both the MPS and TfL and in turn, the potential reduction of staff and resources.

7. TfL and STC are working together to look at a number of different scenarios and options to minimise the impact of budget reductions on service delivery. In particular, we are currently looking at the efficiency and effectiveness of all units across the Command.

8. Members should note any significant reduction in police staff and STC’s civil enforcement capability could impact on the ability to deliver a safe, secure and resilient Olympic route network, (ORN), during 2012.

9. Use of volunteers may assist in the mitigation of risk and STC are already increasing the access to Metropolitan Police Special Constabulary, (MSC), other met volunteers, (MVP), and the Volunteer Police Cadets, (VPC). In addition the STC and TfL are working jointly in regards to the designation of some policing powers to resources within TfL under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme.

D. Background papers

None

E. Contact details

Report author: Chief Inspector Stuart Trayler, MPS

For information contact:

MPA general: 020 7202 0202
Media enquiries: 020 7202 0217/18

Appendix 1

Objective 1: Bus related crime, anti-social behaviour and fear of crime

To reduce the fear of crime and ensure the safety and security of staff and the public on and around the London bus and public transport system and its interchanges by:

1. Reducing bus and other transport related crime,
   • Reducing the volume of bus and other transport related crimes.
   • Reducing the number of crimes per million passenger journeys.
   • Reduction in Crimes of Interest on Bus Network: Robbery, Violence against the Person and Sexual Offences.
   • Reduce the percentage of people whose frequency of use of buses is affected by crime and ASB.
   • Reduce the percentage of people whose frequency of use of public transport is affected by crime and ASB (indicative KPI).
2. Reducing anti social behaviour affecting the transport system,
   • Reducing the volume of Driver Incident Reports per million passenger journeys.
   • INDICATIVE KPI: Reducing concern about anti-social behaviour of others as a deterrent to using public transport.
   • INDICATIVE KPI: ASB composite index.
3. Reducing and preventing crime against bus and other transport infrastructure,
   •  Criminal damage to buses.
   •  Reducing damage reports to bus stops and shelters.
   • Reduction in bus-related criminal damage reports.
4. Increase public confidence in and satisfaction with the policing on and around the transport network.
   • Customer satisfaction that the police and TfL are dealing with the crime and ASB issues that matter on buses in London.
   • INDICATIVE KPI: Customer satisfaction that the police and TfL are dealing with the crime and ASB issues that matter on public transport in London.

Objective 2: Roads policing and walking/cycling

To maximise people movement and minimise delays and disruption on London’s surface transport system, in particular by:

1. Ensuring the efficient movement of buses by dealing with and preventing obstructions,
   • Customer Perception of 'Bus Reliability' (Quarterly).
   • Customer Perception of 'Journey Time' (Quarterly).
2. Smoothing traffic flow by focusing on reducing congestion caused by unplanned traffic problems, collisions and Transport for London Route Network, (TLRN) parking contraventions,
   • The number of incidents and the time spent on each incident by the Road Response Team.
   • Reducing the number of red route contraventions on the TLRN 7am - 7pm, Category A Offences
   • Work is in progress to develop new KPIs to measure the impact of roads policing.
   • A new outcome based KPI is expected to capture reliability of journeys and cost of congestion.
3. To work with the wider-MPS, other partners and police agencies to support TfL’s wider strategic aspirations with regard to walking, cycling and road safety,
   • Improvement of road, cycling & pedestrian safety.
   • Improvement in cycling security.

Objective 3: Taxis and private hire vehicles

To enforce the law relating to taxis and private hire vehicles (PHV) to ensure the safety of the public by:

1. Reducing the risk of cab-related sexual offences and other serious crime,
   • Cab-related sexual offences
   • Number of operations run each year to tackle other serious crime associated with the taxi and private hire trade.
2. Reducing taxi touting by tackling illegal cab drivers and operators,
   • Reducing the percentage of people that have been approached by touts.
3. Support Taxi and Private Hire Directorate (T&PH) compliance activities and enhance the ability of the licensed trades to operate in a safe and effective manner,
   • Support the T&PH with annually agreed numbers of joint operations and other compliance activities.
   • Reducing the volume of bus and other transport related crimes.
   • Reducing the number of crimes per million passenger journeys.
   • Reduction in Crimes of Interest on Bus Network: Robbery, Violence against the Person and Sexual Offences.
   • Reduce the percentage of people whose frequency of use of buses is affected by crime and ASB.
   •  INDICATIVE KPI: Reduce the percentage of people whose frequency of use of public transport is affected by crime and ASB.

Appendix 2

MPS Bus-related Crimes Per million Passenger Journeys

The table below shows the break-down of MPS bus-related crime by the major crime categories used by the MPS for 2007/8, 2008/9 and 2009/10 and includes the rate of crime per million passenger journeys for each of these categories with the exception of burglary. In 2009/10, there were 11.1 crimes for every million passenger journeys made on the bus network.

Table 2 shows bus-related crime per million passenger journeys

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