Torbay's safer town initiative underway

Efforts to improve Torquay town centre for residents and businesses are well underway through the Street Focus: Torquay project. 

Led by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, this multi-agency initiative aims to bring real, long-term change to the area and enhance community safety. 

A key part of this work is hotspot policing which has already made a difference in tackling antisocial behaviour and serious violence. 

From May to September, more than 600 extra hours of police patrols have been carried out with officers engaging with more than 1,800 members of the public. This has led to 57 intelligence submissions, attendance at 71 ASB incidents and 15 arrests.

In addition, the town centre officers, who have also been operational since May, have become a valuable asset. 

Now a team of five, with two roles funded by hotspot policing, these officers help to enforce the Public Spaces Protection Orders. This empowers police and authorised officers to remove alcohol from street drinkers and direct individuals out of the town who are causing a nuisance or disorder. Between July and September, there were 32 Dispersal Notices served and 162 directions to surrender alcohol in Torquay. 

Alongside them, street marshals have begun patrolling hotspot areas in partnership with police and town centre officers. With three resources for hotspot policing, there will be an increased uniformed presence to deter and disrupt crime. Both residents and local businesses have reported feeling reassured by the extra patrols.  

Members of the public are encouraged to engage with officers during their patrols or visit a new mobile police station. This provides an opportunity to report crime, receive crime prevention advice, share information and be directed to support services. The van will be stationed at the following dates and locations: 

• Saturday November 9, 10am-2pm: Castle Circus

• Friday November 22, 5-8pm: nearby the Green Ginger, Fleet Walk

• Friday November 29, 10am-2pm: outside Primark, Union Street

To further enhance local efforts against ASB, the Commissioner has funded two new legal roles: an ASB legal advisor and a paralegal. They will work partly from Torquay Police Station, providing crucial expertise to support neighbourhood officers and deliver faster, more effective responses to ASB by collaborating with partner agencies. 

SWISCo, Torbay Council’s waste management service, has also launched a new neighbourhood enforcement team, operating seven days per week. Their mission is to reduce environmental crime, such as littering, fly tipping, graffiti, fly posting and dog fouling. The team will engage with local groups, schools and the wider community, as well as issue fixed penalty notices when necessary to maintain cleaner, safer streets. 

As the festive season approaches, a new night bus service will help party-goers get home safely. Funded by the OPCC as part of Street Focus: Torquay, the service will run on Saturday nights from November 2 to December 21, plus Friday December 20 and New Year’s Eve. 

The bus service, operated by Stagecoach, will charge just £2 for a single journey. Running hourly from 12:30am, this service aims to reduce drink and drug-related incidents. Full timetables are available on the Stagecoach website, covering Torquay, Preston, Paignton and Brixham (search Route 12).

You can find out more about the Street Focus: Torquay project by visiting the newly taken over shopfront in Union Square which also has information on how to report crime. 

To have your say on the project, take a quick survey on the website: https://www.street-focus.co.uk/get-involved. Your feedback will help to create a safer town centre where our community can thrive.