Transport Safety Officers to enhance safety on Chelmsford’s trains and buses
Chelmsford City Council has introduced Transport Safety Officers on public transport and at the city’s transport hub, to enhance public safety and combat anti-social behaviour.
The Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) will work in coordination with transport operators, British Transport Police and Essex Police, addressing anti-social behaviour and promoting safety for all passengers.
From today, 12 February 2024, six specially trained TSOs will be working at Chelmsford’s train station and bus depot. They will also travel on Greater Anglia services, patrolling targeted routes.
The TSOs’ primary focus will be community engagement and education. They will possess enforcement powers, including the authority to issue fixed penalty notices for specific anti-social behaviours.
Councillor Donna Eley, Cabinet Deputy for Community Safety, says the TSOs are a welcome addition to Chelmsford’s network of safety partners:
““I am delighted to see the appointment of Transport Safety Officers in Chelmsford. I hope their presence will be reassuring to residents and visitors and encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses anti-social behaviour to report it.
Councillor Donna Eley, Cabinet Deputy for Community Safety, Chelmsford City Council
“We know from the work of the Safer Chelmsford partnership that collaborative working is an effective way to tackle safety concerns and this project has many committed stakeholders. I look forward to seeing the officers on their patrols.”
Working in partnership to combat ASB and VAWG
Following the successful implementation of a TSO scheme by Transport for West Midlands, the Department for Transport (DfT) has committed £2.5m nationally over two years to pilot an expansion of the model. The scheme is a commitment to reducing anti-social behaviour (ASB) and violence against women and girls (VAWG).
£490,000 of the DfT's national fund was awarded to Thurrock Council for their collaborative bid with Southend-on-Sea City Council and multiple Essex County Council local authorities (Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Colchester and Tendring).
This investment will fund the presence of TSOs in train stations and hotspot routes across Basildon, Brentwood, Chelmsford, Colchester, Southend, Tendring and Thurrock, plus bus terminals in Basildon and Chelmsford, until March 2025.
Reporting incidents on public transport
You can report antisocial behaviour and criminal offences to the British Transport Police online, through their Railway Guardian app, or by calling 0800 40 50 40.
You can report antisocial behaviour to Chelmsford City Council online or by calling 01245 606606.
In an emergency always call 999.
Molly writes stories about public health, community safety, leisure, community sport, parking and Chelmsford Market.