The Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) and Public Transport Users Association (PTUA)
feel it is time for government bodies to take the personal safety of public transport
passengers and staff seriously and investigate introducing a specialist Transport Police force
in New Zealand that would have the powers and privileges of constables, but on the public
transport network including trains, buses and ferries.
Jodi Johnston, convenor of the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) says, “Unfortunate
incidents involving four rail passengers being physically assaulted by a group of thirty
teenagers on a train near Morningside, bus passengers being physically assaulted on a
West Auckland bus, brawls occurring in some interchanges in Auckland, and the murder of
Sefo Leger in December have raised legitimate concerns among public transport users that
they are taking their life in their hands when they board a bus or train – and that puts into
jeopardy any return from the billions that have been invested in New Zealand’s public
transport”.
Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) chair Niall Robertson agrees with this
assessment and says that by introducing a specialist Transport Police force would act as a
deterrent to anti-social behaviour, and where incidents such as that in Morningside occur,
they would have the teeth to be able to intervene. In turn, this would ensure public transport
users would feel safe when taking the bus and train – particularly late at night.
Transport Police are used all around the world successfully, including in Australia, the United
Kingdom, United States, France, Sweden and Switzerland.
Robertson says, “It is important to remember that 30% of the population actually rely on
public transport and these include some of our more vulnerable people including the elderly,
the young and people with a disability” Robertson adds that we have a duty to make these
and all people feel safe on public transport to foster better and safer connectivity for
everyone and to attract more people on to public transport!”
The image used has been generated by AI