Anti-Social Behaviour in the West Midlands: Why Joined-Up Reporting Matters

Recent BBC reporting has highlighted the growing impact of anti-social behaviour (ASB) across the West Midlands, particularly on public transport and for the frontline teams who keep services running every day. From harassment and verbal abuse to vandalism, poor lighting, damaged infrastructure and repeat hotspots, ASB is affecting passengers, staff and communities alike.

These incidents are often low-level in isolation but when repeated and unreported, they escalate into environments where people feel unsafe, unheard and unprotected.

Why It Matters

Anti-social behaviour is not just a nuisance it’s a gateway harm. Left unchecked, it can:

• Normalise harassment and intimidation

• Increase fear of travel, especially at night

• Place additional pressure on frontline staff and policing

• Mask wider safeguarding, VAWG and vulnerability risks

Effective ASB response depends on early reporting, clear triage and coordinated action - not fragmented systems or siloed responsibility.

What This Means for Community Safety in the West Midlands

1. Simple, accessible reporting: people are far more likely to report ASB when it’s quick, discreet and easy to use, especially for incidents that don’t feel “serious enough” to call police about but still impact safety

2. Clear triage and insight: ASB data needs to be gathered, mapped and shared, identifying repeat locations, trends and environmental issues like broken lighting or damaged CCTV that contribute to unsafe spaces

3. Stronger partnership working: transport operators, local authorities, police and community organisations must be aligned, sharing intelligence and responding together rather than in isolation

4. Protecting frontline teams: drivers, conductors and station staff face daily abuse. Giving them clear reporting routes and real-time support is critical to wellbeing and retention.

How imabi Supports an Effective ASB Response

At imabi, we know that tackling ASB requires joined-up digital infrastructure (not just awareness campaigns).

imabi Connect provides a locally tailored layer, enabling partners to:

• Share targeted ASB and VAWG campaigns

• Issue live safety alerts

• Map environmental issues and hotspots

• Provide staff and passenger guidance

• Build community intelligence to support prevention

imabi Travel Guardian is a national safety platform with over half a million downloads, enabling passengers, drivers and staff to:

• Report ASB quickly and discreetly

• Upload photos or videos where appropriate

• Flag issues like poor lighting, broken CCTV or vandalism

• Use geolocation to pinpoint incidents

• Access trusted support

• Share insight through Your Voice

• Receive real-time safety alerts

Together, these tools help:

• Reduce pressure on policing

• Strengthen collaboration between transport, police and local authorities

• Protect frontline teams

• Give communities clear, trusted ways to speak up and feel heard

imabi’s View

Anti-social behaviour thrives where reporting is hard and responsibility is unclear. It reduces when people are empowered, data is shared, and action is visible.

The West Midlands already has strong partners and networks. By connecting them through platforms like imabi Connect and Travel Guardian, ASB can be tackled earlier, smarter and together, creating safer journeys and stronger communities.