§ Mr. Peter RobinsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures are in place to protect staff and passengers from physical attack on public transport. [123784]
§ Mr. SpellarTranslink advises that it has created dedicated working groups to improve security on buses and trains. It has a widely promoted scheme under which it offers a £1,000 reward for information on attacks which leads to a prosecution and proactively, Translink staff liaise closely with local community representatives and the police in an attempt to reduce attacks and general anti-social behaviour.
Translink also advises that security features within the Translink fleet include CCTV, driver protection screens, specially strengthened windows in the driver's cab area and double glazing over the rest of the vehicle. Communication systems also enable bus and train drivers to liaise with Central Control staff regarding potential and actual incidents.