Rail and Tube passengers who put feet on seats face £50 on-the-spot fines from British Transport Police.
Senior officers recognise that commuters often feel intimidated by low-level bad behaviour.
They believe it also leads to more serious disorder and to clashes when troublemakers are confronted.
Police are set to mount extra patrols as part of a major drive to reduce fear and cut crime on London's transport network.
The fines will vary according to the offence, rising to £80, and will double if not paid within 21 days.
Commuters today welcomed the crackdown and some called for it to be extended.
Dahlia Simms, 34, from Earl's Court, said: "The last thing you want is someone's dirty shoes on your seat but
you can't say anything because you just don't know if you'll get stabbedBritish Transport Police assistant chief constable Steve Thomas said: "People who put their feet on the seats are showing
a lack of consideration for others.Annalie York, 26, a business development manager, from Fulham, said:
"I can't stand sitting down in your clean work clothes on a dirty seat where someone's shoes have been."On Merseyside, local train operator Merseyrail has prosecuted 250 passengers for putting their feet on train seats
The plan also highlights the success of a similar "zero tolerance" in New York.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-487018/50-fines-putting-feet-train-seats...Ted's thin blue train line
February 18, 2012
THE Baillieu Government is building a $460,000 train station with no line and no services to coach armed guards to deal with crime.
The Government's promise to have 940 Protective Service Officers on stations by 2014 is looking shaky - police revealed there had been only 300 applications so far.
The first PSOs graduated yesterday at the Police Academy. They include a globe-trotting
baker
, a
farmer
, a
fruit and vegetable stacker
, a
former policeman
, a
tradie
, a
marketing consultant
and a
chemical engineer.
The first intake of 18 PSOs will be deployed at Flinders St and Southern Cross, Richmond, North Melbourne and Footscray stations from Wednesday.
The pretend train station will be built at the Police Academy grounds, where PSOs will be confronted with scenarios of violence.
http://m.news.com.au/VIC/pg/0/fi967426.htm