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Merseytravel is the public sector body co-ordinating public transport through partnership initiatives, with the aim of delivering a fully integrated and environmentally friendly public transport network. Additionally Merseytravel is committed to playing a major role in the continued regeneration of Merseyside - economically and socially. It is within this context that TravelSafe as an initiative exists and why TravelSafe has to be a partnership of organisations and agencies.

TravelSafe has existed as a series of policies and as an initiative since 1995. At that point thirteen policies were stated that Merseytravel would seek to achieve. This strategy aims to build upon that first policy statement. This strategy also seeks to build upon a successful multi-agency operation entitled Operation Bream undertaken in spring 2002, funded in large part by the Home Office's Reassurance Fund. This involved a high visibility police team operating on a bus corridor being supported by Revenue Protection Officers, Security Contractor, Traffic Wardens, Special Constables and hi-tech on-bus CCTV. This operation not only included a number of arrests and revenue recovery but also provided public reassurance.

Key to building on these successes is the recognition that whilst partners have always been involved in this initiative, in order to deliver the overall TravelSafe goal a new multi-organisation strategy is needed for the next three years in which all partners can play their part. This process was started by the formulation, in the spring of 2002, of a new Partnership Board for TravelSafe.

• Merseytravel with representatives from the authority, executive and from the Merseytravel Advisory Panels and Forums
• Bus operators represented by Arriva North West, CMT and Glenvale Transport
• Train operators represented by Arriva Trains Merseyside and First North Western
• Railtrack North West (part of the Network Rail group of companies)
• Rail Passengers Council
• Merseyside Police
• British Transport Police
• Crown Prosecution Service
• Government Office for the North West
• Safer Merseyside Partnership
• Knowsley Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
• Liverpool Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
• Sefton Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
• St Helens Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership
• Wirral Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership

As can be seen, the Board is comprised of many different members but its membership is not fixed and will be reviewed periodically. This Board will be responsible for driving the initiative forward, seeking resources and for monitoring its progress. The Board will also ensure that the involvement of the community is encouraged and maintained and that the initiative is linked with other strategies and plans that its members are involved. Key strategies within this context are the Local Transport Plan for Merseyside and the Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships' strategies as well as others such as the National Route Crime Group's strategy.

The Local Transport Plan for Merseyside has two main strands, a ten-year strategy and a five-year investment plan covering the period up until 2005/06. The performance of these plans is monitored against five key criteria: economy, environment, accessibility, safety and integration, of which, improvements to the security of the network should be a key part. Additionally Merseyside has been awarded the status as a Centre of Excellence for Integrated Public Transport and Merseytravel is a Centre of Excellence for Public Transport Planning. Both again stress partnership and security of public transport is a component part.

The Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships' Strategies outline the priorities for tackling crime and disorder in their areas. These strategies have to be produced every three years and it is for this reason that the TravelSafe strategy also covers the same time period. However in developing a three-year strategy it must also be recognised that the environment will undoubtedly change over this time, for example, in the first year of the strategy new rail franchises will commence. Thus this strategy can only provide a guide to the direction of the initiative. It is for this reason that we have included the section on continuous improvement.

This strategy has been developed after consultations with organisations including a series of action planning seminars and an earlier review of the initiative that was undertaken by Crime Concern. It also draws upon a survey of public attitudes to personal security on public transport carried out in 2001 for Merseytravel by Transport and Travel Research and from available data on incidents occurring in and around public transport affecting personal security. A draft strategy was also sent to over 2,500 interested bodies and groups across Merseyside for consultation in September 2002.

The feedback from that consultation has been used in completing this final strategy. What has been clear from this process, however, is that not enough data exists currently to allow us to monitor progress of the strategy. Developing a new data analysis system for TravelSafe is thus a key aim of the strategy in its first year.