West Midlands' 'Most Dangerous' Bus Route: 74 Service Tops Violence List
The 74 bus service, which travels daily through a significant portion of the West Midlands, has been officially named as the region's most dangerous bus route. This service consistently tops the list for violence and criminal incidents occurring on board public transport vehicles.
Passengers traveling on the 74 route have witnessed or been victims of crime more frequently than on any other bus service in the area. The route connects Birmingham city centre with Dudley, making key stops at Hockley Circus, Island Road, West Bromwich, Great Bridge, Sedgley Road East, and Ednam Road in Dudley.
Concerning Crime Statistics
Between July and December, a total of 62 offences were reported to police along the 74 bus route. The most common type of crime was violence against the person, with 20 separate incidents of attacks or fights occurring on board buses. This was closely followed by 20 reported thefts during the same six-month period.
These figures represent only those incidents that were formally reported to authorities. Many passengers may have chosen to suffer in silence rather than report crimes, not wanting to cause disruption or draw attention to themselves during their journeys.
Police and Transport Company Response
West Midlands Police have emphasized that despite these concerning statistics, the overall risk of crime on buses remains low when considering the millions of journeys made each week. Police officials state the chances of being a victim of crime on a bus are "very low" and that they have increased patrols around the transport network to enhance security.
A National Express West Midlands spokesperson provided context to the statistics, explaining: "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."
The spokesperson continued: "However, any incident that puts our colleagues and passengers at risk is one too many. We are part of the West Midlands Safer Travel Partnership and work very closely with policing teams, using a variety of tactics to help tackle crime and antisocial behaviour across the public transport network."
Reporting Options for Passengers
Passengers are advised to always dial 999 if there is an urgent crime or emergency situation occurring on public transport. For non-emergency incidents, travelers can use the Safer Travel's See Something, Say Something service to discreetly report concerns.
This service allows passengers to text "SeeSay" along with details of the incident including time, date, location, and route number to 81018. This provides an alternative reporting method for those who may feel uncomfortable speaking directly to authorities or transport staff about witnessed incidents.
While the 74 bus route has gained attention for its concerning crime statistics, authorities stress that public transport remains generally safe for the vast majority of passengers who use these services daily throughout the West Midlands region.
