Over 150 bus shelters across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole have been upgraded with new CCTV cameras in a bid to reduce anti-social behaviour and make travelling by bus more welcoming and safer.
Poole Bus Station has also benefitted from the additional CCTV equipment.
Some have been built into 14 new electronic passenger information displays, providing passengers with up to the minute departure information in addition to the monitoring.
BCP Council, in partnership with local bus operators, was one of 16 areas awarded funding over a three-year period from 2022.
It received £8.9 million to improve bus services across the conurbation as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan.
The findings from a previous consultation revealed the need for this enhanced monitoring, alongside a uniformed presence on the buses.
The cameras cover the busiest bus stops across the conurbation as well as the main boarding areas of the bus station.
High-definition footage is live streamed direct to the council’s CCTV control room while continuous recording helps identify anti-social behaviour offenders and aid prosecution.
People are able to text a special 81018 number if they spot any incidents of antisocial behaviour or feel vulnerable while using the bus network.
A further 100 locations are being added in the coming months.
Transport Safety Officers were introduced earlier this year to travel across key routes on the bus and rail network, interacting with people and dealing with any incidents of antisocial behaviour as part of this wider scheme.
Cllr Andy Hadley, Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy at BCP Council, said: “We are working closely with our local bus operators to significantly improve bus services across the BCP area.
“This forms part of our commitment to transform travel by encouraging more people to take environmentally friendly options like the bus, or train.
“Reducing anti-social behaviour at Poole Bus Station and at our bus shelters plays an important part in this.
“Our residents want to feel safe when they travel, and these new CCTV cameras will hopefully encourage more people to leave their cars at home and take a sustainable option instead, which has the added bonus of reducing traffic congestion on our roads.”
Andrew Wickham, Managing Director at Morebus, said: “We want those travelling with us to feel safe and comfortable whilst on-board, at bus shelters and at Poole Bus Station.
“The bus stop cameras and state-of-the-art equipment installed at the bus station – with its dual purpose of providing live departure information and CCTV monitoring – will go a long way to achieving this.
“Our excellent partnership with BCP Council has gone a long way to facilitating these latest additions, and we will continue to work together to achieve our joint aim of easing congestion and improving air quality across the region.”