About this Toolkit

This Toolkit deals with crime on public transport systems, particularly on rail, underground and bus systems. The Toolkit is in three parts with one Appendix:

• Understanding Crime Disorder and Fear of Crime on Public Transport provides an overview of crime, disorder, fear and public transport in Great Britain. It briefly describes the organisations that operate and police public transport, and it outlines the nature of crime, disorder and fear in the public transport environment. It also considers the relationship between public transport and the local community, and identifies sources of local data for quantifying crime, disorder and fear problems.
  
• Responding to Crime Disorder and Fear of Crime on Public Transport summarises information drawn from current research and practice on ways to reduce crime, disorder and fear. It advocates a problem solving approach and the use of situational and design measures. It also reviews information on order maintenance policing on public transport.

• Funding Sources and Useful Links provides information on funding sources and useful links.

• The Appendix provides a series of problem solving Guides developed specifically for this Toolkit. These Guides are an important part of the Toolkit. They are specifically designed to help practitioners with analysing and responding to common crime problems on public transport systems. Those guides currently available deal with:

1. Assaults and robberies committed against employees
2. Thefts, robberies and assaults against passengers
3. Graffiti and vandalism against public transport property

It is envisaged that as funds become available, further guides will be added. The Appendix also includes a description of the problem solving process.

The information in Part 1 will be particularly useful to Crime and Disorder Partnerships, which to date have rarely addressed crime problems on public transport. However, current legislation requires that responsible authorities in England and Wales invite both the British Transport Police and at least one public or school transport provider in the area to participate in the formulation and implementation of Crime and Disorder Strategies.

Part 2 of this Toolkit (and the Appendix) was developed particularly with transport management and police in mind, as it is they who are usually in the best position to achieve crime reductions on their systems. However, transport management and police will need to work with others to respond to problems that extend beyond the system boundaries, or that require a multi-agency response. For example, partnerships with local authorities are likely to be necessary in reducing crime, disorder and fear immediately around stations and at shelters.