Stagecoach East Midlands introduces 'Ask for Angel Street' Initiative to enhance passenger safety

The scheme is designed to offer assistance to those who feel unsafe or are experiencing harassment, with the objective of enhancing safety across the East Midlands network.

'Ask for Angel Street' enables passengers to discreetly communicate threatening behaviour with bus drivers, who have been fully trained in passenger safety and will initiate a series of steps to contact the police to resolve the situation. Members of the community who feel unsafe can also hop onboard and ‘Ask for Angel Street’ to get away from an immediate vulnerable position.

The scheme was first rolled out at the Grimsby Depot and was shortlisted at the National Transport Awards earlier this year.

Matt Cranwell, Managing Director at Stagecoach East Midlands, said "Ensuring the safety and peace of mind of our passengers is of paramount importance to us. The #TheAskForAngelStreet initiative provides a tool to empower members of the community who find themselves in an uncomfortable or unsafe scenario and wish to seek help.

“Our drivers are fully trained to provide a safe environment on our buses and prevent escalation of conflict. Please spread the word about the #AskForAngelStreet initiative to help safeguard the communities we serve.”

Councillor Stewart Swinburn, Portfolio Holder for Transport, Housing and Infrastructure, said: “This is a brilliant initiative that we are proud to endorse.

“Above anything, we want residents to feel safe when travelling across the borough. Whether they are commuting or just getting the bus into town, everyone should be able to travel somewhere without feeling threatened.”

Support materials for drivers and informative posters for passengers on the #AskForAngelStreet safety scheme have been distributed across the Stagecoach East Midlands bus network, to facilitate the scheme's effectiveness and ensure a consistent response across all locations.

For further details about the #AskForAngelStreet initiative and other services provided by Stagecoach East Midlands, please visit: www.stagecoachbus.com/promos-and-offers/east-midlands/askforangelstreet

For more information about Stagecoach East Midlands and their services, please visit www.stagecoachbus.com/about/east-midlands