Australia, Bus Industry News, Bus Safety

NT announces boost for transit safety unit

The NT government will invest $8 million in providing both transit safety officers and private security officers to keep Darwin and Palmerston buses safe for the next two years

The Northern Territory government has continued investing in improving safety on its bus network with the announcement that transit safety officers and private security officers will continue on for two more years.

Officers across Darwin and Palmerston bus routes has been extended, with the NT government saying that transit safety officers play a critical role in keeping passengers and drivers safe by reducing anti-social behaviour through patrolling buses, bus stops and interchanges.

“Reducing crime and anti-social behaviour is my top priority and that’s why we are investing $8 million to keep passengers and bus drivers safe,” NT chief minister Eva Lawler says.

“Transit safety officers do an important job to keep our community safe and that’s why we will continue our security boost to patrol the transport network in Darwin and Palmerston.

“We know public transport is critical for so many Darwin and Palmerston residents – that’s why we are investing $8 million to improve safety on buses at stops and interchanges across Darwin and Palmerston.”

Transit safety officers can direct a person to leave a bus, interchange or stop, issue on-the-spot fines, arrest and detail a person if they have reasonable ground to believe a person has committed an offence and seize dangerous articles from someone who has been arrested.

Private security officers are also hired to keep drivers and passengers safe across the bus network.

The Territory government will continue its investment with $8 million committed over the next two years. This funding will be used to maintain the boosted 21 transit officers on the bus network.

NT infrastructure, planning and logistics minister Joel Bowden says reducing crime is a priority of the NT government and it will continue to work tirelessly to improve community safety right across the Territory.

“Our transit safety officers provide a valuable role both at the interchanges and on the buses themselves in ensuring passengers can travel on public transport safely,” Bowden says.

“We are focused on creating a safer transport network for passengers and our hard working bus drivers.”

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