GMP and TravelSafe partners have doubled visibility across GM’s transport network

GMP is continuing to work shoulder to shoulder with Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) to ensure that everyone living in or visiting our cities and towns are able to travel on public transport safely and confidently.

Greater Manchester TravelSafe Partnership is jointly led by TfGM and GMP, existing to keep the public safe across GM by offering reassurance to passengers and preventing and dealing with incidents of crime, antisocial behaviour, and fare evasion. 

The importance of this work is increasing as public use of the transport network increases year over year. In 2024, Metrolink set a record for the number of journeys with 45.6 million trips and four million passengers carried each month. Additionally, bus patronage had increased by 5% compared to 2023.

Proactive policing operations across the transport network are also increasing with double the amount of preplanned TravelSafe Partnership deployments in 2024 compared to 2023, these operations are only a fraction of the work our Transport Unit do.

In recent years, operation AVRO expanded to the transport network, where police and partners deploy across all 10 districts increasing visibility in local areas, and patrolling the Metrolink network as well as the bus routes for that district.

There are consistent Project Servator deployments across the tram and bus services, as part of a national policing tactic to disrupt criminal activity and provide a reassuring presence for the public.

Additionally, officers from our Transport Unit worked alongside TravelSafe officers to deliver a successful launch of the new night bus service. This service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week and on most bank holidays.

Throughout 2024, there was 125 TravelSafe operations across 52 locations with over 78,000 passengers engaged with.

Our Transport Unit made 1,362 arrests, conducted 3,163 stop searches, and seized 1,431 vehicles through our proactive approach. These results led to countless positive outcomes, including charges, fines, and further punishments where appropriate.

One of the core principles within GM’s long term Transportation Strategy is to ensure that the transport network is safe and secure for all customers which in turn will support the vision of making 50% of journeys across GM made by walking, cycling, and public transport by 2040.

GMP's work with TfGM supports Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA)’s five-year environment plan beginning in 2025 which focuses on public transport as a sustainable way to travel.

Chief Inspector for Safer Transport Ronald Neilson said: “It is vital that everyone who comes to Greater Manchester feels safe to travel through the area on public transport. We are constantly working with partners and reviewing plans and policies to ensure they are up-to-date and that we are best equipped to clamp down on criminality.

“It is important that our transport system is appropriately and proactively policed to encourage the public to make use of the transport system. GMP is committed to supporting the mayor’s plans for a more connected and greener city, through tackling crime and antisocial behaviour on our networks.”

Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, added: “Everyone using or working on the Bee Network is entitled to be, and feel, safe at all times. That is why the safety of our passengers and staff is, and always will be, a core priority. 

“Bringing buses back under local control alongside Metrolink trams has allowed us to significantly boost the number of TravelSafe Support and Enforcement officers on duty alongside regular police patrols at stations, bus interchanges and on trams and buses. They provide a visible and reassuring presence and take a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of antisocial behaviour and crime.

“This partnership working has led to a doubling of the number of special exercises with partner agencies and has extended outreach with schools and colleges designed to help everyone be a good user of the Bee Network. We will continue to explore new ways of working together to make further progress on this."