Phase II of the Transport Policing Initiative

Report: 7
Date: 18 November 2002
By: Commissioner

Summary

The MPA gave approval to the signing of a Special Services Agreement (SSA) with Transport for London (TfL) for delivery of the new Transport OCU (TOCU) on the 25th April 2002.The TOCU services commenced on bus route 185 on the 10 June 2002.The unique partnership between the MPS and TfL to tackle crime, disorder, bus movement (on selected bus routes) and taxi & mini cab enforcement has proved so successful that TfL are looking to increase their commitment during 2003/04 and beyond.

A. Recommendations

1. That members agree to the development of Phase II of the Transport Policing Initiative as outline in the report.

B. Supporting information

1. The Transport OCU was formed with three objectives and a Special Services Agreement was created between Transport for London (TfL) and the MPA to deliver a specified set of services to achieve these. Further investment towards these and additional objectives may become available in the next financial year 2003/4.

2. For planning purposes it is assumed that additional funding of up to £15 million set-up (2003/4) costs and £21 million per annum operating costs could be available for the MPS to implement Phase II, subject to the Mayor’s budget

Progress on phase I

3. The Transport OCU services commenced on bus route 185 on the 10 June 2002. The roll-out programme for route 26 is on target and within budget, with 250 of the planned 500 extra police officers and traffic wardens recruited.

Roll out programme

4. The selected routes account for 15% of all bus journeys in London and the corresponding bus corridors have the highest levels of crime and illegal parking. In addition, a further 100 bus routes operate on significant parts of the chosen corridors and these routes will also directly benefit from Transport OCU activities.

5. In addition the area-based task forces have been used to help with a number of major congestion problems caused by short-term events, such as tube strikes and road works at Trafalgar Square.

6. The work of the unit also supports the MPS objectives of creating safer communities and reducing the fear of crime.

7. As part of the development of the Transport Policing Initiative the opportunity was taken to bring the existing Traffic OCU, Traffic Warden Service and the Central Driving Offences Unit, together with the Transport OCU, within one Branch to achieve a co-ordinated command structure.

8. A further development is the setting up of a centralised Traffic and Transport Criminal Justice Unit at Marlowe House, Sidcup, Kent at no additional cost to the MPA, to deal with all traffic prosecutions and anti-social behaviour tickets generated by police officers, traffic wardens and PCSOs attached to the Traffic and Transport Branch.

Further development of the Transport Policing Initiative

9. Work is currently underway within TfL to develop an enforcement strategy, including the priorities for future investment in transport policing. A business case is being developed to cover four main priorities in addition to enhancing the commitment to existing objectives:

• enhancing the current Transport OCU operation to cover more corridors and increase effectiveness;
• developing a more effective area based policing capability focussed on buses and bus routes (to cover all the remaining routes);
• developing an effective model to support the needs of TfL in dealing with traffic issues (including critical congestion); and
• developing and implementing an enhanced taxi enforcement strategy to deal with ‘touting’.

10. In general terms this is simply a further extension of the work currently being performed by the Transport OCU. The exception is ball point three which introduces the need for the MPS to deal with general congestion.

11. The enhancement of the Transport OCU will provide an increased presence and a 24 hour, 7 day a week capability, as demand dictates, focused on the agreed corridors with a focus on traffic regulation compliance rather than enforcement activities. The proposal include:

• Adding two additional corridors to the Phase I priority routes.
• Establishing an Area based enforcement capability for bus services outside of the specified corridors.
• Providing staff with hand held IT devices to allow for effective fast-time intelligence.
• Establish an investigation and prosecution unit to provide a follow-up capability for incidents that Borough OCUs are unable to deal with.

Staffing breakdown and costs

12. A full breakdown of the staffing for Phase II, and the associated costs are outlined in the tables below. Incorporated into the cost is a cost provision for all other functions including buildings, uniforms and equipment.

Staffing numbers

Costs

Traffic Related

Taxi & Mini Cab Enforcement

TOCU - Task Forces

TOCU - Corridor

C. Equality and diversity implications

1. The TOCU is aware of the work currently being progressed by the MPS Diversity Directorate in developing a Fair Practice Monitoring Process (in consultation with the GLA and MPA) and how best to ensure pan London units monitor disproportionality for stop and searches, arrests and issuing of HO/RTs. We await guidance following the research being undertaken.

2. In order to assess any disproportionality issues occurring within the area of work undertaken by TOCU officers, TfL are able to provide an the ethnic breakdown of the travelling public from bus passenger surveys.

3. A OCU monthly management report, including the objectives and performance information, has been developed and is used as part of the Branch Compstat process.

D. Financial implications

There are no financial costs on the MPA budget. The Special Services Agreement, section 14 provides indemnity for the MPA should TfL subsequently decide they no longer wish to proceed with the Transport OCU.

E. Background papers

None

F. Contact details

Report author: Commander Alan Shave, MPS.

For more information contact:

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

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