Mayor claims victory as robberies fall on London buses

Boris Johnson is claiming to have achieved his pledge to cut crime and disorder on London transport, five months after taking office.

Announcing that dedicated police teams would be deployed across 30 locations in January 2009, the capital's mayor produced statistics showing that robberies on buses had fallen by nearly 38%, violent crime by 5.6% and "overall crime" by 16%, as a result of trials at three transport "hubs" in different parts of the city.

Johnson added that separate teams tackling bus crime already based in 11 inner-London boroughs would now be "made permanent" after "bus-related crime in the borough was reduced in the boroughs served by the teams by 13.6% in recent months."

However, the Guardian notes that the Mayor's use of official police data is in contrast to his scepticism of this data during the Mayoral campaign. The newspaper reports ongoing efforts by the mayor to compile crime statistics that account for changes in definitions and categorisation of offences, allowing for more meaningful long-term comparisons.

Comments

[Kevin]

Just seen a mixture of six police and pcsos at Hatton cross tube station redirecting all the youths through a metal detector. A few were having their names taken. Not sure whether to be reassured or wonder what the country has come too or both.

[Bullingdonian Bumbler]

Oh, yes. It's jolly spiffing good that we've had this, er, reduction, yes, that's it, in crime. Despite the fact that those figures were totally unbelievable under that Livingstone chappie, I believe that they now vindicate my tough and resolute approach, er, whatever that was, etc.

[seasider]

Seem to remember during the Mayoral election Boris blaming Ken for the rise in youth stabbings.

Surprisingly, they didn't stop when he was elected, and in fact there seemed to be an escalation, which I wasn't aware he accepted responsibility for.

[Just a thought]

trolls are out in force tonight I see.

[Adam-]

It's an indication of failure when we resort to plotting crime levels on a graph to measure "success".

It is no comfort to board a bus knowing that you are now statistically less likely to get mugged on it than you was the same time last month.

[John Reeks]

An encouraging start, but obviously the main test will come when figures are released based on statistical methods Johnson himself would have preferred using before he became mayor. It's clearly no use politically using the same methods we decry as flawed when out of power. Having said that, clearly a move in the right direction. Especially good to see that it can be achieved using traditional street level policing instead of ID cards and other Labour white elephants.

[Geoff]

It's fine us using numbers compiled under the old method as you are comparing apples with apples and we can see (welcome) trend.

When Mayor Boris' statisticians can work back the older figures retrospectively then we'll be able to compare, under the better methodology, oranges with oranges.

Great work Boris!

[john]

Good news about the buses.

But what about the ban on booze on the tube?
My wife and I had a nightmare journey, with suitcases, from St Pancras to Waterloo on a Saturday evening.
No violence. We weren't threatened, but it was sickening to see hordes of young people drunk at 8.30pm, openly swigging from cans and bottles on the trains.
So is there a ban or not? And who is enforcing it?

[David]

Good to see all the Routemasters that Boris has brought back too.

[tears of a clown]

"When Mayor Boris' statisticians can work"

That's the problem isn't it? Just like, the role of Kit Malthouse over policing. The Mayor doesn't actually DO anything except show up and smile.

[Geoff]

Just like he only showed up and smiled at Ian Blair, "tears of a clown"?

Mayor Boris has hit the ground running and has been very impressive so far. I am sure that will continue too.

[GB£.com]

Overall, I have been very impressed with Boris and think London has a better future with him, rather than Red Ken, in charge

It is good to see a strong Tory in the face of the current weakness in Team Cameron.

[ACT]

Purely out of interest, is there any lie even Boris would consider the telling of to be too shamelessly arrogant?

[I T K]

Telling Ian Blair to go wasn't his idea.

[resident leftie]

Posted by: john | October 08, 2008 at 23:18

No violence. We weren't threatened, but it was sickening to see hordes of young people drunk at 8.30pm, openly swigging from cans and bottles on the trains.
So is there a ban or not? And who is enforcing it?

So you think things should be banned just because you don't like the look of them? Doesn't surprise me.