New Transport Safety Officers to support safer public transport journeys in Essex

Almost £500,000 funding from Department for Transport will support recruitment, vetting, training and deployment of six officers in Greater Essex.

Front-line safety officers will be rolled out in Essex to help stamp out anti-social behaviour on public transport and ensure people have a positive journey, whatever time of day they’re travelling.

Essex County Council, as part of a partnership including Thurrock Council and Southend-on-Sea City 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, as well as associated support staff.

Research shows that most people in Essex have a positive journey when they travel by bus or train in Essex, however, we also know that certain places and times of day can feel less comfortable.

TSOs are specially trained staff who deal with low-level nuisance and disorder.

Their primary focus will be on engagement and education to help create a safer travel environment. However, they will also have the authority to issue fixed penalty notices in response to specific anti-social behaviour concerns.

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 the train and bus stations in Basildon and Chelmsford, and the train stations in Colchester and Clacton. These areas were chosen as transport hubs and hotspots for anti-social behaviour in the county.

Councillor Louise McKinlay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Levelling Up, Communities and Business Engagement, said: “We work closely with our partners to improve the safety of Essex residents, help make our communities safer and address key issues such as violence and vulnerability, and safety for women and girls. Safety on public transport is a key part of this.

“This pilot will allow partners in Essex to develop and implement approaches that react directly to the specific needs of their area. In Essex this will support our Levelling Up ambitions by targeting anti-social behaviour in three of our priority areas – Basildon, Colchester and Tendring.

“We look forward to working with our partners to ensure the success of this important initiative.”

The pilot in Essex is being implemented following the successful roll out of a TSO scheme by Transport for West Midlands.

The DfT has committed £2.5 million funding to support the deployment of TSOs in four more English authorities: BCP, Lancashire, Stoke-on-Trent, and Thurrock (in collaboration with Essex County Council and Southend City Council).

This initiative aligns with broader government commitments to enhance public transport services. It follows the allocation of £150 million to improve bus services in the North and Midlands, representing the initial phase of a £1 billion funding reallocation from HS2 to Network North.