TravelSafe LiveChat reaches 500 reports - A milestone for safer transport across Greater Manchester

Greater Manchester Police is celebrating a significant milestone as the TravelSafe LiveChat service reaches 500 reports since launching. The service has quickly become an essential tool for passengers who need a fast, discreet way to report concerns while travelling across the Bee Network.

LiveChat connects the public directly to trained GMP call-handlers, allowing them to report anti-social behaviour, suspicious activity, welfare concerns or criminality without drawing attention.

Each LiveChat reflects a moment where someone has felt unsafe or uncertain, and the service has enabled officers to respond quickly, reassure passengers and, in many cases, prevent situations from escalating.

This milestone also highlights the vital role of officers on the ground. Reports received through LiveChat have led to swift interventions, arrests and enforcement, ensuring offenders are identified and brought to justice on Greater Manchester’s transport network.

Crucially, this success demonstrates the strength of the partnership between GMP and TfGM. The TravelSafe LiveChat service is only possible because of the close, day‑to‑day collaboration between both organisations- working together, sharing intelligence and responding jointly to keep passengers safe. This strong relationship ensures concerns are acted on quickly and consistently, reinforcing public confidence across the Bee Network.

Recent examples demonstrate the range of incidents LiveChat helps us respond to:

• A person was seen urinating at Rochdale Interchange. CCTV operators identified them immediately, allowing officers to attend quickly and issue a Fixed Penalty Notice within minutes.
• A passenger behaved abusively on a tram, leading to officers recording a Section 4A Public Order offence due to their threatening and abusive behaviour.
• A person was found deliberately avoiding paying bus fares. Patrol officers and TfGM staff intervened promptly to deal with the issue.
• Counterfeit banknotes were used on bus and Vantage services. These incidents have now been passed on for criminal investigation.
• A person acting aggressively on a bus was swiftly detained by officers. Checks revealed they were also wanted for an unrelated offence.
• A parent reported unwanted attention towards their 13-year-old child while on the bus. Officers responded immediately, ensured the child was safe, and provided appropriate support.

Thanks to the close partnership between GMP call-handlers and TfGM, these reports have helped resolve incidents swiftly and safely.

Call Handling Supervisor Neil Smitham said: “Reaching 500 TravelSafe LiveChats since launch is a testament to the service’s impact in creating safer journeys for everyone. It shows passengers trust that when they reach out to us, we will be there to listen, support and act.

“As more people use Greater Manchester’s public transport network, TravelSafe LiveChat will remain an essential tool in helping to protect passengers and support vulnerable individuals.

“This milestone also reflects the commitment of our officers who respond to these reports.

“Their swift action on the ground ensures those responsible for crime or antisocial behaviour on the transport network are identified and brought to justice.

“We’re proud of how far the service has come, and we’ll continue building on this success as more passengers choose to travel safely with the support of TravelSafe LiveChat and the officers keeping our network safe to support the Mayor’s vision for GM to have the safest transport network in the world.”

How TravelSafe LiveChat Works?

The service is simple to use and designed around passenger safety:

QR codes are displayed on buses, trams and Interchanges that allow passengers to scan and instantly start a chat without drawing attention.

Passengers can also open LiveChat directly from the home screen of the Bee Network app, connecting them to GMP within seconds.

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, said: “This is an important milestone for TravelSafe LiveChat as it shows that our pioneering, integrated approach to policing public transport is working. We are giving passengers the confidence to report their concerns, safe in the knowledge that they will be discreetly connected to a real person within seconds.

“TravelSafe LiveChat is just the first phase of this new approach. We will continue to grow the partnership and work together to reassure people travelling or working on the Bee Network that we will act swiftly to deter and tackle unwanted behaviours head on.”

Kate Green, TfGM’s TravelSafe Partnership Manager, said: “The safety of everyone who travels or works on the Bee Network is our number one priority, and TravelSafe LiveChat helps reinforce our zero-tolerance approach to criminal and antisocial behaviour on our buses, trams, and at our stations, stops and interchanges. 

 “We will continue to work closely with our partners at GMP to improve TravelSafe LiveChat and provide a more visible, reassuring presence out on the Bee Network.”