Police have launched a crackdown on anti-social behaviour on public transport in Gateshead.
Northumbria Police carried out a number of stop and searches as part of operation Jacaranda on Saturday, February 4 which saw officers patrol buses and Metros in the Gateshead area.
Officers also spoke to bus drivers, ticketing staff at Gateshead Interchange and passengers about how to stay safe and how important it is to report any suspected criminal activity. As part of the patrols, one man was arrested on suspicion of possession of a Class B drug.
It comes as police try to reassure members of the community about their commitment to tackling anti-social behaviour on public transport.
Northumbria Police Inspector Kevin Ashurst said: “We’re keen to ensure that our officers are a visible presence on public transport and let members of the public know we are always available to address their concerns.
“Officers spoke to about 50 people during the day of engagement, which we hope went some way to reassure them. It has also proved incredibly valuable to us as a force.
“Everyone should feel safe and secure when using public transport and experience trouble-free journeys whether they are on buses or the Metro system, and we will always be committed to reinforcing this message.
“This involves working alongside our partners, including bus operator Go North East and Metro operator Nexus, to tackle pockets of disorder when they arise and prevent future incidents from happening.”
Funding for the initiative is provided by the Violence Reduction Unit, which sits within the office of Northumbria’s Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC), Kim McGuinness.
“In Gateshead, additional officers have been out on patrol on the Metro and bus networks implementing a range of activity to drive drown crime and anti-social behaviour," Ms McGuinness said.
“I hope that by seeing these officers carrying out their duties, responding to incidents, and being on hand to speak about concerns, has provided some reassurance that we will continue to do all we can to prevent crime."
Metro operator, Nexus, said it had invested £1 million in extra security teams to tackle anti-social behaviour and warned that anyone who is caught faces prosecution.
Huw Lewis, customer services director at Nexus, said: “We are working with the police to deal with issues which have been occurring on buses and Metros, alongside our own investment of £1 million in extra security teams.
"This is a minority of people spoiling public transport for the law-abiding majority and we are determined to deal with it. Safety and security is our top priority.
“Anyone who gets caught faces prosecution through the courts and even a possible ban from travelling on the bus and Metro networks."
Passengers can download the Safer Transport Northumbria app to report their concerns and access support.
Anyone who sees suspected anti-social behaviour taking place on any method of public transport is asked to contact Northumbria Police either through the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of their website or by calling 101.
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