Gloucester became the first railway station in the UK to adopt the football style card system for dealing with constant trouble makers when First Great Western and British Transport Police (BTP) signed-up to the scheme today.
- 122 businesses now signed up to the scheme in Gloucester and Stroud
- 634 yellow cards have been handed out for anti-social behaviour
- 72 people have been excluded for persistent trouble making
107 businesses in Gloucester have now joined the scheme since it was introduced in May 2013. Another 15 other businesses have also signed up following its launch in Stroud.
The card system means that anyone persistently causing trouble at the railway station, or at any of the other member premises, is liable to a yellow card or final warning. Continued anti-social behaviour will result in a red card and an outright ban from all members’ services and premises.
PC Ben Smith from BTP said:
“Thankfully Gloucester railway station is relatively safe with just a handful of offences every month. However, we are not complacent and we hope joining this scheme sends a clear message to anyone planning to cause trouble at the station that if you do, not only will we take steps to stop you using the train in Gloucester but you could also find yourself excluded from many other areas of the city.
“We already have powers to exclude troublemakers from the station and this is simply another weapon in our armoury to help deter people from behaving anti-socially and committing crimes when using the rail network in Gloucester.
“Our participation in this scheme won’t replace or undermine our usual crime fighting methods: offenders will still be arrested, put before the courts and brought to justice”.
CitySafe is funded by Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. It is a partnership approach linking the police, city council, licensees, businesses and other organisations.
Mr. Surl said:
“We are really pleased that British Transport Police and First Great Western will be joining City Safe and adding their names to the growing list of members from a wide range of businesses.
“It means that people who cause problems or commit offences in Stroud and Gloucester can expect to be barred from more and more services and premises if they do not change their behaviour. It’s a proven deterrent that will make our centres safer, more pleasant places to visit”.
Since CitySafe was introduced in May 2015, 634 people have received yellow cards, of which 72 have been excluded.
CitySafe manager Rich Burge said:
“We now include shops, pubs, clubs, restaurants and takeaways, shopping centres, Stagecoach Buses, taxi companies and educational establishments and we are really pleased to welcome British Transport Police and First Great Western.
“Over the last 16 months our membership has increased significantly as businesses see the benefits of being part of City Safe and the valuable contribution the scheme makes to reducing crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.”
