Why are several police checking bus passes when attacks in Fallowfield are worse than ever?

Multiple police officers were called to check a bus pass, then a girl got raped on Mauldeth Road


We’ve all seen the hoards of police officers lingering around the bus stop opposite Owen’s Park checking everyones passes and tickets, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. But with the terrifyingly high crime rates in Fallowfield, it’s hard not to question why so few police patrolling the quieter streets in this area?

Fallowfield has a higher level of sexual assaults than any other student area in the UK, and has extremely high rates of mugging and non-sexual violence too. Clearly, there’s a need for a higher police presence. Students are being targeted by rapists and thieves, the police are so concerned as to whether someone’s got on the Magic Bus without paying a quid.

I understand that the police officers at bus stops in Fallowfield may not have the right training, or qualifications to patrol the streets at night, but it seems that a lot of money is being put into the transport system to ensure that students aren’t travelling for free. Yes, this is a problem, but we’ve got bigger problems. Shouldn’t the council consider directing this money towards achieving safer streets?

We spoke to Tommy Oxtoby second year English Literature student at MMU, who had an unnecessary run in with the police at the bus stop: “I had washed my bus pass – it was slightly discoloured from the washing machine but they treated it as if I had a gun – so they took me off the bus and radioed the police.

“They came in a big police van, all to check my bus pass: there were two in the car and four on foot. They pulled out my pass checked the date and checked to see if I had a record. In total, a good half an hour with six officers.

“The fact they could spare that many officers over a bus pass that turned out to be fine is crazy. Then, a week later the rape happened on Mauldeth Road.”


Several police officers, all for a washed bus pass. While a girl gets raped on her way home from the bus and no one was there to help her. It’s sickeningly illogical.

We need more streetlights, we need more bodies patrolling, we need to instil a feeling of safety in Fallowfield that will inevitably deter these kinds of criminals.

Greater Manchester Police have been approached for a comment and we are awaiting a response.