TRAVEL officers have teamed up with police following an increase in anti social behaviour incidents involving youths at Bolton Interchange.

Visible patrols have been deployed there during the afternoons and evenings in order to crack down on the incidents, and reassure customers and staff.

Some of the incidents have involved verbal and physical abuse towards staff, carrying weapons, and riding bikes through the interchange.

This has led to arrests being made, with a 15-year-old boy being arrested for carrying a baseball bat on Tuesday.

Danny Waller, travel safety officer and a special constable, said: “We want to get the message across that this a safe and secure place to travel.

“It’s an intelligence-led partnership, which allows us to deal with problems effectively.

“It’s really important for staff and customers across the network to feel supported.

“Our staff and bus staff have a right to go out without fear of an incident.

“We won’t be here for just a few days, this is part of a more forward thinking approach.”

Paul Clough, Transport for Greater Manchester's (TfGM) interchange manager, added: “It’s the best position for the staff and the customers, because they have to feel safe using the facilities.

“The last thing we want is people ruining the experience for customers, and making it harder for staff.

“It has become more worrying with people carrying weapons, and we have to protect who we can against that and get people to safety.”

The work forms part of the Travel Safe partnership, which is led by TfGM and Greater Manchester Police, as well as support from the Metrolink, and the bus companies Diamond, Stagecoach, and First Manchester.

Officers are usually deployed to 'hot spot' areas across Greater Manchester so that they are able to speak to members of staff and monitor the situation.

The partnership also has an extensive youth engagement and education programme, which has seen travel safe officers speak to more than 26,000 children and young adults between May 2018 and February 2019 about the importance of behaving on public transport.

Through this initiative, police have also been able to work with TFGM staff to remove passes from those involved.