Giant colourful posters about travelling safely and responsibly on public transport have been designed by local school children and put up at Bilston Bus Station to brighten up passengers journeys over the summer.
The Safer Travel Police Team joined forces with Transport Authority Centro to challenge Year 6 children at four Wolverhampton schools to create a piece of artwork about helping make bus, train and tram travel even safer and more pleasant.
Over 90 entries were submitted by 10 and 11 year old pupils at Oak Meadow, Danecourt, St Patrick’s and Loxdale primary schools with three chosen to adorn the walls at Bilston Bus Station.
The artwork focuses on the successful Safer Travel See Something Say Something campaign, which encourages people to phone or text if they see any incidents of anti-social behaviour on the West Midland’s public transport network.
Many of the children who submitted entries also included no smoking messages in their design, urging people not to light up on board the bus as it sets a bad example and means other people have to breathe in the smoke.
PHOTO CAPTION : Back row L – R: Runner up Remy Evans (aged 11), Bilston Bus Station Manager Sue McCormack, PCSO Khalid Akhtar and runner up Liam Newman-Sharkey (aged 11) Front row L-R: Winner Kelsea Betts (aged 11) and Acting Police Sergeant Karen Taylor.
Kelsea Betts, aged 11 from Oak Meadow Primary School, created the winning poster and was awarded her prize of an iPod touch by Acting Police Sergeant Karen Taylor at Bilston Bus Station on Tuesday (August 3, 2010).
Kelsea said: “I’m really happy to have won the competition. I hope my poster helps to brighten up Bilston Bus Station and also encourages people not to smoke on the buses.”
The runners up were Remy Evans, aged 11 from Oak Meadow Primary School who won a family day out at West Midland Safari Park and Liam Newman-Sharkey, aged 11 from St Patrick’s Primary School who won a driving experience at Wolverhampton Speedway.
Acting Police Sergeant Karen Taylor, who works within the Safer Travel Police Team said: “We were absolutely delighted by the high number and standard of entries we received from children across Wolverhampton for the art competition.
“We have already made great strides in making the bus network even safer for passengers, and we hope that the bright and colourful artwork helps people to take even more pride in their bus station and public transport services.
Sue McCormack, Centro’s Bilston Bus Station Manager added: “All the entries were really creative and showed that the younger generation really do recognise the importance of behaving safely and responsibly on public transport.
“They winning designs have really helped to add more colour and life to the bus station. I hope that people take the opportunity to have a look at them and enjoy their presence as much as I do.”
People who see a minor crime, anti-social or nuisance behaviour on their bus or Metro journey can let the Safer Travel Police Team know by texting busorMetro, leaving a space and then adding the details with time, date, location and route number to 83010.
They can also phone 0345 113 5000 or log on to www.safertravel.info
Safer Travel is a partnership between West Midlands Police, the 6 West Midlands Community Safety Partnerships, regional bus operators and Centro, the region’s transport authority.
The team works to make bus journeys even safer for passengers by deterring crime and anti-social behaviour. Five years on from its launch, this reduction demonstrates how Safer Travel’s combined operations and specialist expertise – supported by an ever-growing intelligence database – are helping to pinpoint crime hotspots and persistent offenders.
