New ‘covert’ way to report crime on trams being rolled out to protect customers

According to the group of companies behind the Nottingham Express Transit network, anti-social behaviour “remains above pre-Covid levels with assaults on staff, criminal damage and disruptive passengers being key areas of focus”.

To clamp down on crime and anti-social behaviour on-board trams a new WhatsApp number will soon be advertised as a way for people to secretly alert the authorities.

The number will allow people to message the driver and NET’s control room to raise any pressing concerns.

The new service was revealed during a tram meeting at Nottingham Council.

Jo Bentley, NET head of customer experience, said: “If you are on a tram and there is anti-social behaviour often people do not want to have a confrontation and put themselves at risk by being seen to be on the phone to someone, or pressing the help point.

“What we are doing at the moment is we have a WhatsApp number, and that WhatsApp number goes straight through to my guys in control.

“This year we will start to advertise that number as a means for people to contact us covertly without drawing attention to themselves.

“I think it is a fantastic initiative and the sooner we can get that up and running, the better. We have all the technology in place, we just need to ensure we have the tram numbers easily identifiable on the tram.

“We are working hard on that.”

Tramlink, an investment partner in the tram network, has also been working with the city’s two universities to offer better ways for students to access help and support if they feel vulnerable or threatened.

Anyone who feels at risk in Nottingham may press either of two help buttons at a tram stop to alert NET’s control.

CCTV cameras will then automatically focus on the area where the button was activated.

Andrew Conroy, Tramlink chief operating officer, said: “What we want to do is advertise that, at each tram stop, there are at least two points that if you go up and press the button, CCTV will automatically focus in on you and an area around you, so we can see what is happening.

“You don’t have to say anything. If we see anything we think is wrong we will get the police immediately.

“You don’t have to be a tram customer, if you are walking through the city, or anywhere where there is a tram stop, and feel vulnerable, you feel someone might be following you, go to the tram stop and press the button.”