The Bath Safe Bus, a new project launched on Friday, 31 March, in scope of The Bath BID’s Safe and Secure activities, completed its first month with success in ensuring safety in the city late at night.

In its first month, the Safe Bus supported 65 people, responded to 48 welfare incidents and 17 medical incidents, and prevented 14 medical incidents from calling emergency services.

The Bath Safe Bus has been up and running for a month now with the aim of providing a safe space for vulnerable people late at night.

The Bath’s Safe Bus aims to support a variety of people in Bath’s night time economy who may not require emergency care, but may benefit from a safe space to talk, and get support, advice, first aid and have an opportunity to be listened to.

The project also helps to reduce anti-social behaviour, violence against women and girls, and other criminal behaviour in the city centre, whilst also supporting the emergency services to reduce calls on A&E and the demand on the Police services.

‘Safe Spaces’ are having a huge impact on communities around the UK, saving over £9 for every £1 invested to services such as A&E, the Police and the ambulance service.

The project runs every Friday and Saturday night from 22:30 to 04:30 and is available for other busy nights such as Bank Holidays, Fresher’s Week, Bath Rugby matches, Bath Christmas Market and other big events in the city.

Staffed by medical, security and volunteer teams, it provides ‘first response’ help to the community, including visitors, students, residents and female members of the street community.

The ‘Safe Bus’ is part of the Bath BIDs’ Safe and Secure Business Crime Reduction Partnership and works in collaboration with the Emergency Services, B&NES Council, the Universities, Venues, Bath City Pastors and Local Volunteers.

The Bath Safe Bus project is part of a nationally funded programme, The Safer Streets Fund. Funding was granted by the Home Office in 2022 to be used across different initiatives in Bath, including projects and activities designed to make people feel safer in the city.

The partnership delivering the projects includes Bath and North East Somerset Council, Avon and Somerset Police, Youth Connect South West, Project 24 and the Bath BID.

Bath BID CEO, Allison Herbert, said, “It has been a long process between having the idea and assembling the funding to make it happen, and we are delighted to see this partnership project come to fruition, supporting one of our key objectives, which is making Bath a welcoming city.”

Police Sergeant 4531 Jonathan Raisey, Bath City Centre Neighbourhood Team, added, “Bath Safe Bus is an excellent initiative and will help people using the night-time economy to have a place of safety should they need it. The resource will take a lot of pressure off Police and Ambulance services, and will be a location where people will know they can access support.”

(Source and Images: Bath BID and Bath Safe Bus Twitter Account)