Safer Travel is a partnership between West Midlands Police, British Transport Police and Transport for West Midlands, who work together to identify areas of the network vulnerable to crime, anti-social and nuisance behaviour.
The team is intelligence led, drawn from a number of sources such as the officers, transport operators and reports from the public. The team also have access to over 1400 CCTV cameras, which are staffed 24/7 to identify and respond to incidents which are located in Bus, Rail and Metro stations.
Last year they relaunched their See Something Say Something campaign, a text service for bus users to report incidents of antisocial behaviour (ASB) on their journey.
Passengers simply text the words “SeeSay” along with details of what’s happened to 81018.
A dedicated team of antisocial behaviour officers from West Midlands Police and British Transport Police investigate every report and use a range of methods including community resolutions to deter and tackle nuisance behaviour on the bus network.
Each report helps the team to build an intelligence picture of antisocial behaviour and identify patterns in reporting on specific routes, areas or times. In addition to community resolutions, police officers conduct patrols and work within communities to reduce problematic behaviour and assure passengers on their journey.
The text service has previously run for 12 years, and received around 1200 reports in 2019. A passenger’s text report of antisocial behaviour on an Erdington bus previously led to a prolific offender being identified via National Express West Midlands CCTV and sent back to prison. The service has also contributed to easing pressure on West Midlands Police’s control room and reduced the number of calls made to 101 for low-level nuisance behaviour.
The relaunched campaign features a new text number, 81018, and redesigned posters which have been placed on over 2,500 buses across the region as well as at bus stations and stops. Antisocial behaviour covers a wide range of behaviours including smoking, littering, playing loud music, being rude to other passengers or staff, drinking alcohol in public spaces and other behaviour which causes others to feel uncomfortable or alarmed.
“Safer Travel relaunch text service for reporting antisocial behaviour” – April 2021
If you encounter or witness any anti-social behaviour while travelling on public transport within the West Midlands, “say something” by submitting a report to Safer Travel.
As well as using the “See Something, Say Something” text message service, passengers and transport operator staff are also able to submit more detailed reports using the online form on the Safer Travel website.
If you need to report a crime that has already happened, call 101 or use Live Chat on the West Midlands Police website.
The text service is a non-emergency service and lines are monitored between 9am-5pm Monday to Friday.
In an emergency, always dial 999.
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