30 police teams to cut bus crime

Thirty new police teams will ride buses and patrol bus stations across London in a bid to cut crime on public transport by Boris Johnson.

The "hub teams" are to be set up after the success of a pilot project which saw the level of robberies reduced by more than a third in parts of West Croydon, Wood Green and Canning Town since it began in May.

Each team is made up of a police sergeant, a constable and seven uniformed Police Community Support Officers, who have less powers than police officers but are allowed to issue fines, seize drugs and detain suspected offenders.

Since being brought in, the hub teams have reduced robberies in their areas by 37.8 per cent and overall crime by more than 16 per cent. Violent crime has fallen by 5.6 per cent.

Announcing the plan today Mr Johnson said: "The most frequent complaint made to me during the election was that people did not feel safe on buses. I want to ensure Londoners can travel safely and in confidence around our city. The latest figures show we are starting to turn the tide."

Most of the new "bus cops" will be drawn from 440 officers being recruited by the Met Police. The £11.3 million cost of the teams is being met jointly by the Met and Transport for London.

In addition to the roll-out of the hub teams, 11 newly deployed inner London borough-based policing teams will be made permanent.

Met commander Rod Jarman said: "Whilst travelling on buses in London is generally safe and is getting safer, we are aware of the impact of fear of crime, and anti-social behaviour on people's lives. This extension of the Safer Transport Teams has already proved very popular with the public, our staff and with the bus operators.

"We are therefore pleased to be able to announce today how the teams will be extended across London."

The Met is also launching a recruitment drive for an additional 1,600 Special Constables across London to assist the hub teams, which will be rolled out to the new locations from January next year. In addition, every one of London's 21 Safer Transport teams, introduced last year, will receive an extra seven officers.