A popular West Midlands bus route has been identified as the most dangerous in the region, recording the highest number of criminal offences on board. The notorious Number 74 service, which runs between Birmingham and Dudley via West Bromwich, recorded 62 reported crimes from July to December last year.
Freedom of information data obtained by BirminghamLive highlights that while the vast majority of passengers travel safely across the region’s bus network, incidents of violence and disorder do occur. On the Number 74 alone, violence against the person was the most common crime, with 21 reports of assaults or fights onboard. Theft was also prevalent, with 20 incidents recorded.
More concerning, authorities logged five offences involving possession of weapons, two robberies, and two sexual offences during the six-month period. These figures only reflect incidents reported to the police, suggesting some passengers may have silently endured disturbances without reporting them.
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Other bus routes with notable crime rates included the 11A, 6, and 14 services, but none matched the Number 74’s tally. Despite these troubling statistics, West Midlands Police emphasize that the overall risk of crime on buses remains very low when considering the high volume of daily journeys. The police have also increased patrols across the transport network to enhance passenger safety.
National Express, the bus operator, was approached for comment but did not provide a response at the time of reporting.