A four-day blitz by Transport for NSW and the NSW Police Force in the Tweed Heads area was undertaken last week to tackle antisocial and criminal behaviour on buses and trains in the region.
Patrolling buses and bus stops in the Tweed Heads area as well as travelling on North Coast XPTs, attending various train stations along the way, officers from Tweed/Byron Police District increased patrols on nighttime bus services where there have been the highest number of safety incidents.
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As a result of the operation, eight people were issued penalty notices for transport offences, 11 were issued penalty notices for street offences, and 17 persons were moved on. A further person was issued an infringement notice for a traffic offence.
Three people were charged in relation to three separate matters including an outstanding warrant, alleged breach of bail, and the possession of a graffiti implement.
Tweed/Byron Police District commander David Roptell says that while the latest operation has concluded successfully, the community can be assured that necessary actions will continue to be taken in the future.
“We want to remind all passengers using public transport that threatening, offensive or unsafe behaviour will not be tolerated, and we urge anyone who sees this type of behaviour to come forward and report it to police,” he says.
“The NSW Police Force and Transport for NSW will remain vigilant in monitoring bus and train services around the Tweed Heads area and will conduct further operations as needed.”
Following the operation, Transport for NSW and NSW Police received positive feedback from those involved including bus and train drivers, and members of the public.
“What has been so rewarding from these recent operations on the north coast is not only the positive results during the operation, but an ongoing decrease in reported incidents on our transport networks, showing how effective the operations are long-term,” detective superintendent Todd Cunningham says.
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