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This audit examined how successful
Victoria Police (VicPol) and the Department of Transport (the
department) had been from mid-2005 in reducing crime on Melbourne’s
train system and making passengers feel safe when travelling.
VicPol and the department, through its
supervision of the train franchisee, developed effective frameworks
in 2006 and 2008 respectively for managing crime on the
metropolitan train system.
After crime increased in 2006–07 and
2007–08, the strategies employed since have been effective in
reducing crime and provide the basis to extend these gains in the
future.
One area for improvement is the
evaluation of the projects the department directly funds to improve
personal safety. There was insufficient evidence to demonstrate
whether these projects have achieved their intended outcomes.
While VicPol and the department worked
effectively to coordinate their day-to-day operations,
reinstatement of high-level meetings such as the Safe Travel
Taskforce would improve the effectiveness of both agencies. At a
public transport safety forum held on 22 March 2010, VicPol and the
department committed to do this and now need to follow through on
this commitment.
Approaches for managing perceptions of
safety were less effective, relying mostly on reducing crime to
improve how safe passengers feel. This has not improved passengers’
perceptions of safety. A more rigorous and evidence-based approach
needs to be developed and applied.
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