Bus wardens are back on buses across Stoke-on-Trent in an effort to reduce anti-social behaviour. Currently four transport safety officers are in place with a further two deployed from September.

The bus wardens will have the power to issue fines to rowdy passengers however will be on buses primarily to deter, educate and prevent anti-social behaviour, and to provide reassurance to the travelling public. Fines could be issued for littering, flyposting and vandalism.

In recent months police were called after a woman spat at a bus driver after she was asked to show a valid ticket. Last year windows on a bus travelling through Bentilee were smashed after yobs hurled snowballs with bricks inside.

Chief Inspector Laura Davies, commander for the Stoke North Local Policing Team, said: "No one should suffer from fear, intimidation, abuse or violence on our public transport network and so we welcome today's introduction of Transport Safety Officers. We will work with Stoke-on-Trent City Council to ensure public transport users feel safe and confident and use proactive neighbourhood policing to solve the root causes of crime and anti-social behaviour on the transport network."

The bus wardens have the power to issue fines to rowdy passengers (LDRS).

The scheme was announced in November last year following the success in the Transport for West Midlands area. Stoke-on-Trent along with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole; Lancashire and Thurrock were selected as pilots for the scheme.

The new recruits have had extensive training and spent time shadowing their counterparts from Transport for West Midlands. Transport Safety Officer, Emma Simpkin said: "Having our presence is just reassuring to the general public and making them feel safe and a lot of the general public do question us and once we explain they're over the moon, absolutely delighted about what we're doing."

The officers work in groups of two and work different shifts covering the network throughout the day and night. They are currently patrolling the bus network, including Hanley and Longton bus stations, however will patrol the network across the city.

Transport Safety Officer, Sam Gibson added: "We're not just here for Hanley bus station, we're Stoke-on-Trent. So there can be a time when you might see us in Tunstall because there's been a report of something going on. We're not just riding the bus, we can go to town centres."

The transport officers will be in place for 15 months, however it is hoped that funding will continue (LDRS).

Last year it was announced that Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire Police had been awarded £500,000 to invest in a new pilot scheme to recruit Transport Safety Officers. The transport officers will be in place for 15 months, however it is hoped that funding will continue.

Cabinet Member for City Pride, Enforcement and sustainability, Councillor Amjid Wazir said that people have said they don't feel safe using the bus network, however now there has been a surge in people using buses since the officers started work. He hoped that with the officers now in place and the Affordable Fares scheme will encourage people to use buses more.

The Deputy Leader of the City Council said: "I think this will make our community safe, especially mothers and senior citizens. I want them to feel safe and use buses and use bus stations in Hanley and Longton long term – the safety officers will be around whenever needed.

"I want to be sure they feel safe and use our buses. We were getting reports, everyone was reporting that people don't feel safe, they don't come out. I think this will make people very, very safe that they can get on the bus and come to Hanley and go shopping and go to Longton. So it's obviously good news."

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READ MORE: What's on in Stoke this weekend: Tales in the Park, Jumble Trail and Dog Show

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