A bus operator in northern Lincolnshire has launched a new safety initiative – and its Grimsby buses have led the way.
Stagecoach East Midlands has begun #AskForAngelStreet, inspired by the national ‘Ask for Angela’ campaign, which spread to Lincolnshire in 2016. With the latter, establishments such as pubs, bars and nightclubs train their staff to support people who feel threatened, or unsafe or vulnerable, and approach staff to ask for Angela.
In #AskforAngelStreet, bus passengers can discreetly communicate threatening behaviour with bus drivers. Stagecoach East Midlands’ drivers have been fully trained in passenger safety, and will initiate a series of steps to contact the police to resolve the situation.
Members of the public who feel unsafe can also hop on board and ask for Angel Street to get away from an immediate vulnerable situation. The scheme was first rolled out at Grimsby Depot, before being shortlisted at the National Transport Awards earlier this year.
“Ensuring the safety and peace of mind of our passengers is of paramount importance to us,” said Stagecoach East Midlands’ managing director, Matt Cranwell. “The #TheAskForAngelStreet initiative provides a tool to empower members of the community who find themselves in an uncomfortable or unsafe scenario and wish to seek help.
“Our drivers are fully trained to provide a safe environment on our buses and prevent escalation of conflict. Please spread the word about the #AskForAngelStreet initiative to help safeguard the communities we serve.”
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, North East Lincolnshire Council‘s portfolio holder for transport, housing and infrastructure, said: “This is a brilliant initiative that we are proud to endorse. Above anything, we want residents to feel safe when travelling across the borough. Whether they are commuting or just getting the bus into town, everyone should be able to travel somewhere without feeling threatened.”
(Image: Donna Clifford/GrimsbyLive)
Help is available through the new initiative on Stagecoach-operated buses in North and North East Lincolnshire, and the rest of its East Midlands region. A violence against women and girls (VAWG) meeting was held by Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes MP Melanie Onn last week, which hosted a range of partners involved in tackling the issue.
Speaking to Grimsby Live immediately after, Ms Onn said the meeting was part of information sharing, and she referenced the Stagecoach initiative. “We have had some new initiatives that are happening in the borough that only three people were aware of, so everybody else has been made aware of that today. Work that Stagecoach are doing to provide additional support and security on their buses across the area.”
Support materials for drivers and informative posters for passengers on the #AskForAngelStreet safety scheme have been distributed across the Stagecoach East Midlands bus network, to aid the scheme’s effectiveness, and ensure a consistent response across all locations it serves.
More details about the #AskForAngelStreet initiative and other services provided by Stagecoach East Midlands can be found here.
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Original artice: https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/all-about/scunthorpe
