Hooligans real threat to services, says Sir Richard
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A LETTER has gone out to all MPs in the London area from London Transport's chairman. Sir Richard Way, appealing for help in dealing with the problems of assault by hooligans on bus and underground staff. These assaults, said Sir Richard, were assuming "alarming proportions".
In his letter Sir Richard maintains that the only effective solution to the problem lay with the courts, which should give sentences to provide a sufficient deterent, or should devise effective forms of educational or remedial treatment for offenders. "I am not alone in being increasingly alarmed by the extraordinarily tolerant treatment meeted out in many courts to hooligans who are moving us towards a situation in which the public transport services of our capital city are under real threat", he said.
Sir Richard said that he could not condone certain • action by staff — including refusals by busmen to operate late night bus services — but he said that he had a great deal of sympathy for the staff concerned and could not unreservedly condemn the action they had taken. LT was doing its best to Combat the problem with measures including the installation of two-way radios on buses and the use of alarm systems.
A meeting in which union representatives and LT were to discuss with the Home Secretary possible prevention measures had been delayed by the General Election, but it was hoped that this would be rearranged soon.
Meanwhile, crews at certain bus garages have been shown a new SOS alert gadget designed to protect them in the event of attack by hooligans. The device has been developed by the Chiswick works and was last week approved by the Transport and General Workers Union's central bus committee. At present only one bus so equipped is available but the union hopes that all 6,000 vehicles can be fitted as soon as possible.
Battered bus crews who have been involved in punch-ups with passengers are taking part in a series of LT-organized teach-ins to learn about the best possible methods of approach in similar situations.