More bus station police patrols

Officers cut crime at bus stations by 16% during the trial

Police officers will patrol bus stations in 30 London areas after the success of a trial scheme, mayor Boris Johnson has announced.

Following a 12-week trial in West Croydon, Wood Green and Canning Town, 440 officers will patrol a further 27 bus stations from January.

During the trial officers cut robberies in and around the bus stations by more than 37%, the mayor said.

The £11.3m scheme will have an "equally impressive impact", Mr Johnson added.

The 440 officers will be divided into teams of a sergeant, a constable and seven Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs). The teams will staff major bus stations and their immediate surrounds.

Inner London boroughs will also get 11 policing teams who will be permanently based in bus stations.

These officers will be in addition to 1,200 uniformed officers who already patrol onboard buses and around bus routes.

Another 440 Safer Transport Team officers are also already in place in 21 outer London boroughs.

The mayor's office said during the pilot scheme overall crime was cut by 16% and violent crime fell by 5.6% in and around bus stations.

The teams carried out more than 6,000 stop and searches and 236 people were arrested.

'Turn the tide'

Mr Johnson said the transport policing teams had "great initial success".

"But there is still a lot of work to be done to reassure Londoners that travelling around our city is safe," he added.

"The latest figures show that we are starting to turn the tide, and I will be working tirelessly to build on this success."

Commander Rod Jarman, of the Metropolitan Police said: "We are aware of the impact of fear of crime and anti social behaviour on people's lives, and the impact this may have on their ability to travel freely to and from work, or school."

He added: "This extension of the Safer Transport Teams has already proved very popular with the public, our staff and with the bus operators, and has led to even greater reductions in crime."