Category: North
East & Cumbria TV
Date: 06.09.2004
Printable version
A new series
of Inside Out returns to 大象传媒 ONE with a dramatic report on crime
and safety on the Tyne & Wear Metro system.
After a break of six months in which the 大象传媒 factual programmes unit
has been researching new stories across the North East & Cumbria,
presenter Chris Jackson returns with a powerful investigation
on the region's flagship public transport service.
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Using hidden cameras, the 大象传媒 examines passenger stories
of harassment, intimidation and even physical assault.
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During filming, our covert cameraman:
Is offered drugs while three police officers stand just yards away in
the same carriage
Witnesses a violent assault upon another passenger who suffers a bloody
nose in an unprovoked attack when punched in the face
Speaks to passengers who feel anxious and vulnerable after four drunken
women board the train.
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The programme aims to follow passengers' everyday experience
of riding the Metro system. For one couple, visiting from London, the
experience was one they will not forget soon.
Shortly after our cameraman was offered drugs, four women clearly the
worse for drink boarded the train. Their behaviour left Dilys and Richard
Cowan feeling anxious and vulnerable.
Dilys Cowan says: "We did not see anyone on the stations. There
is no staff around. It is a lot more frightening than in London."
Nexus says the number of recorded incidents has fallen. But it was not
hard for Inside Out to find people intimidated by taking the train home.
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Kate Notley, from Whitley Bay, says: "Someone had
thrown a rock at the train. It went through the window which hit me.
I was sitting near the window and got the full impact of the rock coming
in to the train. I was covered in glass.
"I had glass on my eyelashes which the paramedics took out for
me. Luckily one of the passengers said 'don't rub your eyes' as there
was glass all over my face."
Inside Out also speaks to Nexus staff who are so concerned at the level
of crime and disorder on the system that they have spoken out even though
they face disciplinary action for talking to the media.
Mike Parker, Director General of Nexus, declined to take part in the
大象传媒 programme, to be transmitted on 大象传媒 ONE at 7.30pm today (Monday
6 September).
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He told 大象传媒 ONE's Inside Out that covert filming was
bias and unfair and for those reasons he had decided not to take part
in our documentary.
Nexus says that last year there were 38 million passenger journeys on
the Metro system and the number of incidents on the Metro fell by 102
in 2003/4 to 2,163 recorded incidents.
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Nexus has spent 拢8.5m on improving the CCTV system
and in October the company has said it will be introducing 15 security
guards to patrol the system in the evenings.
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Notes to Editors
Inside Out is broadcast on 大象传媒 ONE in the North East & Cumbria and
across the UK on digital satellite channel 945.
Please credit 大象传媒 ONE's Inside Out if any of this story is published.
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