The 74 service, which operates between Birmingham city centre and Dudley, topped the regional list for reported violence and thefts over a six-month period.
62 Crimes in Six Months
Between July and the end of December, a total of 62 offences were reported to West Midlands Police along the route.
The most common offence was violence against the person, including fights and physical attacks, recorded on 20 occasions. Theft followed closely behind, also with 20 reported incidents.
These figures represent only crimes formally reported to police. Other passengers may have chosen not to come forward.
Route and Key Stops
The 74 service runs through some of the region’s busiest corridors. Key stops include:
- Hockley Circus
- Island Road
- West Bromwich
- Great Bridge
- Sedgley Road East
- Ednam Road, Dudley
The route cuts across densely populated areas, serving thousands of passengers each week.
Risk Remains “Very Low”
Despite topping the list for reported incidents, authorities stress that the overall likelihood of becoming a victim of crime on a bus remains low.
A spokesperson for National Express West Midlands said: “Figures show that the chances of becoming a victim of crime on a bus are very low. With around four million passenger journeys made on National Express West Midlands buses each week, it means there is only one crime for every 60,000 bus rides taken every week. However, any incident that puts our colleagues and passengers at risk is one too many.”
The operator added that it works closely with police through the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour across the public transport network.
Reporting Incidents
Passengers are urged to dial 999 in an emergency. For non-urgent concerns, travellers can discreetly report incidents through Safer Travel’s “See Something, Say Something” service by texting details including time, date, location and route number to 81018.
Police say patrols across the transport network have been increased and emphasise that public transport remains one of the safest ways to travel across the region.
