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Andy Burnham launches new service to make Bee Network among 'safest transport systems in the world’

By Ethan Davies - Local Democracy Reporter   17th Oct 2025

LiveChat is now available on the Bee Network app, allowing passengers to report crime or anti-social behaviour by typing messages to a police control room (Image - Nub News)
LiveChat is now available on the Bee Network app, allowing passengers to report crime or anti-social behaviour by typing messages to a police control room (Image - Nub News)

Andy Burnham has launched a key weapon in the fight to make the Bee Network 'one of the safest transport systems in the world'.

The mayor unveiled 24/7 TravelSafe LiveChat service on Thursday (October 16), made available to Bee Network passengers on the same day.

The service, available on the Bee Network app, allows passengers to report crime or anti-social behaviour by typing messages on their phones to GMP's control room. 

"Every report is received and handled by a real person at GMP, ensuring swift, compassionate and human-centred responses," explained assistant chief constable Chris Sykes. "Specially trained staff will use an extensive camera network to monitor incidents and coordinate the most appropriate to take action and reassure passengers."

Cops will then assess how serious the report is, and either respond using police officers, or Bee Network 'travel safe enforcement officers' (TSEOs) which already patrol the system.

Responses could include TSEOs boarding problem trams or buses, making announcements to passengers, or contacting security guards at Bee Network and Metrolink stations.

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham unveiled the new TravelSafe chat service on Thursday 16 October (Image - LDRS)

It's all part of a drive to police the Bee Network like Greater Manchester's '11th district', Mr Burnham added, and named the top cop heading up the squad.

"Sue Downey will be our first designated chief superintendent [for the transport system]," he told a conference. "She was the incident commander at the knife attack at the synagogue [in Crumpsall recently].

"We are so proud of the job you did, and the job you will do."

Speaking to journalists after the event, Mr Burnham said installing Ch Supt Downey would ultimately mean passengers will see more cops on-the-ground.

"The likelihood of seeing uniformed staff on the system [will] increase and that would include police staff," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"Obviously, from an ability to report, if something is going wrong, TravelSafe LiveChat is a major improvement on what we've had in the past. 

"So it's both that general feeling, if you like, because you can see the greater uniformed presence — and I think that's been building over the years anyway — people have begun to see more of that. 

"It's both that reassuring presence on the system, but that knowledge that if something does go wrong, you can expect a better response than we've had in the past."

The LDRS understands the new GMP '11th district' command structure will be in place in spring next year.

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