Hundreds of pupils learn how to Respect the Ride thanks to new scheme

Taking the bus to school or work may seem a totally normal thing to do, but it’s important to respect the bus, the driver and the passengers during your journey.

Every year, there are several incidents of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) on buses in Grimsby and the surrounding areas, which can have an impact on the route and everyone else using the bus.

Making sure the next generation are aware of the behaviour expected and the impact ASB can have on the buses are youth workers from the Young and Safe team at North East Lincolnshire Council and staff from Stagecoach East Midlands.

Having visited seven schools already, the team have spent time with pupils from Primary and Secondary schools across the borough. Respect the Ride offers an insight into the impact these actions have and what this can mean for the rest of the public.

Highlighting issues such as the £23,000 cost every year in damages and the cancellation of bus routes, ASB has a major impact on the public and the bus company. Many rely on bus routes to go about their lives, whether that be visiting family or getting to work and teams are hoping this presentation can help make that journey safer for everyone.

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, Portfolio Holder for Transport, Housing and Infrastructure, added: “This is something that cannot be tolerated on public transport. It puts people’s lives at risk as well as disrupting the buses.

“The work being done to educate others on this is paramount and I’ve no doubt that this campaign will have a positive impact on our borough’s local transport.”

Matt Cranwell, Managing Director of Stagecoach East Midlands, added: “We are pleased to be part of this important project. Antisocial behaviour impacts both our customers and our colleagues, so we hope that this work will make a real difference and encourage people to think twice before engaging in ASB activity.

“It’s important that our customers can enjoy their journey with us and therefore initiatives like this show how we can work together to create a safe and comfortable environment, through proactive schemes that aim to engage and educate.”