Islington Tribune - News: Goldfinger

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Islington Tribune - by JAMIE WELHAM
Published: 14 September 2007

Goldfinger may have the Midas touch on troubled school buses

POLICE officers are patrolling school bus routes in the latest bid to tackle anti-social behaviour in Islington.
Operation Goldfinger 2 is a London-wide initiative aimed at providing visible reassurance to passengers travelling on rowdy bus routes.
The two-week initiative, coordinated by the Metropolitan Police’s Transport Operational Command Unit (TOCU), started on Monday to coincide with the beginning of the new school year.
In Islington, officers will concentrate on the busy number 29 bus that goes up the Holloway Road towards Finsbury Park.
Superintendent David Wildbore from TOCU said: “Anti-social behaviour creates an intimidating atmosphere for passengers and increases the fear of crime.
“Operation Goldfinger 2 is about continuing to reduce this anti-social behaviour, and increasing public safety and confidence.”
Crime statistics show that bus routes in Islington are safer than neighbouring boroughs.
TOCU was set up in 2002 and deploys more than 1,200 uniformed officers to fight crime on buses, tackle illegal taxi touts and help ease traffic congestion.
It is funded by Transport for London at a cost of £70 million a year.
A TFL spokesman said: “TFL is determined to tackle the small minority of young people who behave anti-socially on the public transport system.”
Since December 2005 every London bus has CCTV installed.

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