THURROCK Council and its partners received a Certificate of Recognition at the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) awards.

Transport Safety Officers (TSOs) working for a group of councils including Thurrock Council, received their recognition from Essex Police for the outstanding commitment they had shown as a newcomer in the Essex Police CSAS scheme.

TSOs have been working in Essex to improve safety with an emphasis on engagement and education. However, they also hold the power to issue fixed penalty notices in response to certain antisocial behaviour offences such as disorder, smoking, littering and graffiti.

The officers have also been providing high-visibility reassurance patrols regarding violence against women and girls.

The TSOs launched last year (November 2023) as part of a Department for Transport pilot that aims to improve safety on public transport across the two train lines; Greater Anglia and C2C and bus stations in Essex.

A member of the council's Environmental Enforcement team was in attendance to receive the certificate at the CSAS Network and Awards Day, which was hosted at the Essex Police Sports Pavilion on Wednesday, 2 October.

Cllr Victoria Holloway, Cabinet Member for Place and the Environment said: "It is a testament to our Transport Safety Officers and the council to have been recognised with this award for outstanding commitment.

"Our TSOs have been working hard in partnership with Essex Police to tackle anti-social behaviour, as well as violence against women and girls by maintaining a consistent visible presence on our trains.

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"The award is welcomed news for the borough, as we continue our efforts to ensure Essex is safe and free from anti-social behaviour and crime."