Network Rail's Bristol project cuts rail crime bill by ^40,000/year

[whole diary]

[A V Lowe]

When the Devil makes work for Idle Hands, the lateral thinker turns this into an opportunity to deliver a better offer of employment, and so in Bristol a project costing ^10,000 set out to get the kids kicking their heels on street corners, out on bikes and having fun.  The measure outcome in the first year of operation is a 4:1 cost-benefit in reducing railway crime and associated costs in the area targetted.

There are some interesting spin-offs which can develop from initiatives like this, a number of which are coming in under the umbrella of Bike Club - aiming to engage the 10-20 age group with cycling activities.  One precursor of this saw a group in Reading recycling old bikes, and then being invited for interview to take up training as artisan workers - if you can fix a bike you have the basis of learning to fix a bus or a train, or pretty much any 'tradesman' skill.  Participation provides a source of references for attendance and social skills - effectively underlining the maxim that to get a job you need to be doing one already.  There is a Bike Club worker covering Bristol & Exeter and the website is www.bikeclub.org.uk for further information.