Safety first for Metrolink

A new initiative to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour on the Metrolink system has been launched today.

Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) has hired a new security team to patrol the network throughout the day until the last service at night.

The uniformed Public Safety Officers will work in partnership with Greater Manchester Police and ticket inspectors to improve safety and security for passengers.

Councillor Roger Jones, Chair of GMPTA, said: “We want to persuade many more people to use public transport. I hope the new security team will help to reassure them that they’ll be safe. “We’ve hired Public Safety Officers on the Metrolink network in the past. However, this is the first time we’ve hired a team to patrol the system at all times of the day, seven days a week. “I’m sure their presence will increase passengers’ confidence in Metrolink as well as helping to prevent incidents of crime, anti-social behaviour and vandalism.”

Four teams of Public Safety Officers, from Carlisle Security, will patrol the network every day. They will be managed by the tram operator, Serco. Each team will be made up of two officers, who will patrol trams, stops and car parks on all three Metrolink lines.

Passengers can report incidents of crime and anti-social behaviour, which do not require an emergency response, by calling the police on 0161 872 5050.

Further information about public transport in Greater Manchester is available by logging onto www.gmpte.com or by calling Traveline on 0870 608 2 608. Lines are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and from 8am to 8pm at weekends and on Bank Holidays. Textphone users should ring 0870 241 2216.

Specific information about Metrolink services is available by logging onto www.metrolink.co.uk or by calling 0161 205 2000.

Note to Editors.
1. A similar safety scheme was launched on the bus network in September. Two security teams patrol bus services and stations across Greater Manchester. GMPTA hopes the success of the Patrol and Response scheme will lead to it being jointly funded with the bus operators in the future.

2. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority (GMPTA) is responsible for overseeing the provision of public transport in the county. It is made up of 33 councillors from the ten councils in Greater Manchester. GMPTE (Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive) implements GMPTA’s policies.

Community Book Exchange

Following its appeal for volunteers in the Forum pages of myManchester the Simpson Memorial Community Association has set up its book exchange.  It is named the Alex Stevens Memorial Hall in memory of the Association’s late president and has received donations of books from North City Library, Newton Heath Library and Wythenshawe Library.

The exchange is open Mondays and Fridays from 10:00 to 2:00 and users can borrow up to four books at a time.  They can also read the newspapers and enjoy a hot drink.

For more information - or to volunteer - please contact Susan Rogers on 0161 203 6065.

ONE-Manchester Request for Information and Comment consultation event

The consultation event for the ONE-Manchester (Digital Challenge) “IP-City” proposal will be held at MDDA on Friday 15 December 2006.

Who is this consultation event for?

This event is intended for businesses interested in responding to the Request for Information and Comments (RFIC) and members of the ONE-Manchester Partnership.

Register to attend the event at www.manchesterdda.com/article/141/

Alley gating in Chorlton

Chorlton has plenty of alleyways, (or ‘entries’ or ‘ginnels’), that is, narrow passageways with walls on both sides, usually between or at the back of rows of houses. They are not usually used by traffic and many have their origins as a way of delivering coal to terraced houses. Originally, many of these alleyways had gates, but most were removed during the Second World War, to allow access by air raid wardens, and were never replaced.

Type in “alley gating” into GoogleUK and on the first page of 100 entries (out of a total of 41,000) over 60 refer to Local Authority schemes to fit “climb-proof, lockable gates as a tried and trusted way to keep out unwelcome visitors - like burglars, stray dogs and fly-tippers”. Manchester City Council are encouraging alley gating as a place where “Alley gates give your kids a safe place for kids to play. You and your neighbours can muck in together to paint the walls or put in pot plants to make the alley a place to be proud of”.

The hope is that putting gates is part of a ’situational crime prevention’ and ‘target hardening’ initiative which will help ‘design out’ crime, reduce litter and encourage neighbourliness. Such schemes have been going since 1998

The initial emphasis on Alleygating schemes were in Neighbourhood Renewal schemes where specific funding was available for community safety initiatives under the Reducing Burglary Initiative. It seems to work too, for example, a “33% reduction in domestic burglary in target areas after gates’ installation” was noted in a review of Manchester alleygating in a recent report. In some parts of London, it has been demonstrated that a gate can bring down the number of rear access burglaries by up to 90%

Alleygating is not without its problems

Originally, all householders directly backing on to an alleyway had to give consent. Also the main act used, Section 129a of the Highways Act (1980) required crime figures or anti social behaviour to be high. This has been made easier since new legislation came into force on the 1st April 2006, from the Clean Neighbourhood Act 2005, which allows local Council’s to grant ‘gating orders’ for alleyways, if for example just one householder’s refusal to consent is blocking a scheme. The rule of thumb used now by the Council is that 80% of residents must be in favour for a a scheme to go ahead.

There can be practical difficulties too, for example, with contacting absentee landlords or where there are a high number of short term tenancies. They also might involve right of way closures if the alley has been ‘adopted’ by the City Council

Not everybody is in favour of Alleygating

The Institute of Public Rights of Way views Alleygating and the associated closing rights of as disadvantaging the public and having little effect on crime. They make the point that:

- Closing off exits does not automatically stop crime, or criminals
- Alley closures remove what was a lawful, and often useful, access for the public.
- Disabled people will often have to go a longer way round on their journeys.

They view alleygating as an example of a ‘knee jerk’ reaction by a Government wanting to be seen to be doing something, but in effect addressing the effects of criminality rather than the causes of it. Using the new legislation an applicant does not have to show that a path is not needed for public use before it can be closed. They can simply maintain that a criminal might find it useful as a short cut. However, if it can be used as a short cut by a criminal, it could also be used in the same way by someone with a mobility impairment, who might find the short distance saved provides a valuable gain in terms of energy saved.

My view is that on the whole Alleygating is generally a good thing with research showing that its effects are largely positive. Indeed, the alley behind my own house in Chorlton has been approved for Alleygating and will get its gates soon.

What concerns me more is how this restriction on public access is extended to communities rather than just alleys. There are gated communities beginning to spring up in Chorlton and I think that the implications of this trend is far more serious. In my next article I will discuss the implications of gated communities as moving towards a ‘fortress city’ approach to urban living

For further information about getting your alleys gated go to Manchester City Council website: www.manchester.gov.uk/housing/privatesector/homeown/allygate.htm
or contact the Private Sector Housing Alley Gating Team on 0161 234 4904.
Mark Youlden is the Technical officer with responsibility for the Chorlton area

Bernard Leach, 28-10-06

Parks secure award thanks to winning team

Manchester City Council’s parks security team has won a national ‘Best Team’ award appointed by Group4S Security Services (UK) at a ceremony in London.

The internal recognition scheme for Security Officer of the Year seeks out the best in the United Kingdom through four regional heats at various locations, culminating in a grand final to announce the overall winners. The final this year was held at the Tower Hotel, London on 9 November.

The awards recognises excellence in the following five categories:

• Service to the Customer
• Outstanding Act
• Best Newcomer
• Best Use of Technology
• Best Team

Each year Group4 take the strongest entries from these awards and enter them into the industry equivalent - the British Security Industry Association awards. These are the highest industry accolades that can be awarded to Security Officers in the UK, and are considered to be a great honour to receive.

City of Manchester Incident Response Service (Parks Team) was delighted to take the Security Officer of the year Award.

A dedicated team of officers provides 5 mobile patrols, two dog handlers and CCTV surveillance, working to provide a safe, crime free environment for all visitors to Manchester’s parks.

Councillor Mark Hackett executive member for culture and leisure at Manchester City Council said: “Through first-class service the City of Manchester team continues to have a dramatic and positive impact on crime and disorder issues within the parks of Manchester. The enthusiasm and dedication from every officer to ensure the safety of the general public whilst using the parks has gone beyond expectation, and the commitment to improve standards makes every officer a star in their own right.”

Douglas Greenwell, sales and Marketing Director from G4S said: “Providing a first-class service, the City of Manchester team continues to have a positive impact on crime and disorder within Manchester’s parks. The officers’ dedication to ensuring the general public’s safety when using the parks and their commitment to improving standards has impressed the customer.”

Ged Fitzgerald a member of the winning team said: “We’re elated to win, especially with such fierce competition.”

From: Manchester City Council website at www.manchester.gov.uk/news/2006/nov/award.htm