Safer Streets initiative is just the ticket
As part of the Safer Streets initiative Ashfield District Council, working with Nottinghamshire County Council have carried out an audit of CCTV coverage and lighting at bus stops in Sutton.
Ashfield District Council’s Community Safety team carried out the checks alongside Nottinghamshire County Council’s Transport Facilities team. CCTV coverage and the lighting were checked at bus stops in the centre of Sutton, including the main bus station, with CCTV coverage found to be good and bus stops well lit.
New measures will see Nottinghamshire County Council increase their regular checks of courtesy lighting in bus shelters and make it easier for the public to report faults with lighting.
Safer Streets is a major project being delivered by the Ashfield Community Safety Partnership and the Police Crime Commissioner. It aims to enhance the safety of women and girls whilst they are out and about in the community.
This is just one initiative the Council is delivering as part of Safer Streets. Increased Police and Community Protection Officer patrols are being undertaken across Sutton town centre and at bus stops. Improved street lighting and CCTV has been installed and we are working closely with local businesses on the Safe Space initiative, which will offer refuge to anyone feeling vulnerable or unsafe.
Cllr Helen-Ann Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety at Ashfield District Council said:
“As a bus user myself I speak to many residents and I am proud to be delivering on their requests to help them feel safer whilst out and about.
This is just one of several fantastic initiatives we are delivering as part of Safer Streets. We want all residents, especially women and girls, to feel safe whilst out and about in Ashfield, particularly at night. We are improving facilities, lighting and CCTV coverage across our town centres and will continue to work closely with partners to deliver initiatives that reassure residents that Sutton is a safe place to live, work and visit.”
Councillor Neil Clarke MBE, Chairman of the Transport and Environment Committee
for Nottinghamshire County Council said:
“This initiative is an excellent example of what can be achieved within a spirit of partnership. Bringing together the expertise from both authorities has been a real gain for Sutton town centre and helps our collective efforts to encourage more residents and visitors to use our excellent public transport network”.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said:
“We know from recent surveys that women and girls sometimes feel unsafe when using public transport in the evenings. These additional safety measures will help us to increase confidence among all passengers and reassure women and girls especially that we take their wellbeing extremely seriously.
“One of the strengths of Safer Streets has been partnership working and I am grateful for the support of our transport and council colleagues in supporting our efforts to make Sutton-in-Ashfield safer.”
Tom Morgan, Group Commercial Director for trentbarton said:
“Thousands of people choose to travel by bus into and out of Sutton, in comfort and hassle free, every week. trentbarton support all initiatives which aim to give people improved peace of mind and greater confidence to use the facilities and venues that Sutton has to offer, and the safer streets team are doing great work in this area. We will continue to work with the safer streets team as we aim to make using the bus the primary choice for people wanting to travel to and from Sutton.”
Matt Cranwell, Managing Director, Stagecoach East Midlands said:
"We welcome and support the proactive measures the Safer Streets team have taken in reviewing the bus station facilities to help ensure a safe experience for the public, alongside the bus shelter lighting checks. We have no doubt this commitment to review such public spaces regularly will be welcomed by the public and it aligns with our own commitment to helping ensure users of public transport feel safe through all aspects of their journey door-to-door."
