Front-line safety officers will be rolled out in Essex to help stamp out anti-social behaviour on public transport.
As part of a partnership including Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City Council, Essex County Council has been awarded £490,000 by the Department for Transport (DfT).
This will fund a pilot to recruit, vet, train and deploy six Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) across Greater Essex. TSOs are specially trained staff who deal with low-level nuisance and disorder.
They will patrol targeted routes and locations, working in coordination with Essex Police and the British Transport Police. The initiative is also supported by the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for Essex, Roger Hirst.
The areas in Essex which will be covered are:
- Basildon train and bus stations
- Chelmsford train and bus stations
- Colchester train station
- Clacton train station
The pilot in Essex is being implemented following the successful roll out of a TSO scheme by Transport for West Midlands.
The initiative aligns with broader government commitments to enhance public transport services. Read more about the Transport Safety Officers initiative.
