Transport officers to be handed power to tackle nuisance behaviour on buses in West Midlands

Proposed by-laws submitted to the Government would see the nuisance behaviour banned with the rules being enforced by the Safer Travel Partnership.

The organisation was set up by the West Midlands Police, British Transport Police and Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) to make transport safer.

The move would see the authority become the first to enforce the by-laws on buses in the country – with similar ones already in force on trains and trams. West Midlands Mayor Andy Street said: “While our public transport is incredibly safe, we know that these types of nuisance behaviour on our buses can undermine those feelings of security for passengers.

“So, working with the police and crime commissioner and his office through the Safer Travel Partnership, we’ve been looking at ways to cut crime and anti-social behaviour on our public transport network, and that’s exactly what these new by-laws will help do.

“No-one who travels by bus should have to put up with nuisance behaviour, and we want to do everything we can to stamp it out.” Enforcement officers will initially direct people to leave the bus, bus shelter or station, and will be able to issue fines for more serious incidents.

Anti-social behaviour prohibited includes smoking and vaping, drunk and disorderly behaviour, playing loud music, vandalism, threatening and offensive behaviour, and obstructing other passengers.

The West Midlands Combined Authority agreed the measure, which will be forwarded to the Government for final approval ahead of their introduction next spring.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: “The safer people feel on public transport, the more likely they are to use it.

The Safer Travel Partnership plays a key role in maintaining people’s confidence in their safety on public transport and West Midlands Police is a key player in the partnership. I have been campaigning for these tougher powers for a number of years and I am pleased that our officers will now be able to take more robust action against those who act in an anti-social way on public transport.

“With fewer officers than in 2010, it is vital that police have the powers to be more effective.

“These new by-laws will give officers much tougher powers to take action against those who disrupt public transport services and those travelling on it.

“No one should have to put up with anti-social behaviour and these new powers will help the police and other agencies tackle the issue.”