Merton Council

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Merton Active Plus

Personal safety

General advice

  • Act confidently and be aware of your surroundings. Plan your journey ahead, walk tall and look like you know where you are going.
  • If possible, avoid walking alone at night. Try to keep to well-lit main roads and avoid shortcuts through alleyways, parks or across waste ground. Walk facing the traffic so a car cannot pull up behind you unnoticed.
  • Stay alert and be aware of what’s going on around you. Don’t listen to a personal stereo or talk on your mobile phone.
  • Wear comfortable clothes and shoes that are easy to walk in. Cover up expensive looking jewellery. Carry your bag close to you with the clasp facing inwards. Keep your house or car keys in your pocket. If someone grabs your bag let go – your safety is more important than your property.
  • If you regularly go jogging or cycling, try to vary your route and time. Stick to well-lit roads with pavements. If in the park, keep to main paths and open spaces where you can see and be seen by other people – avoid wooded areas.
  • If you think you are being followed, check by crossing the street – cross back again if necessary. If you are still worried go to the nearest place where there are other people, like a shop or pub. Call the police from here – try to avoid using a phone box.
  • If you often walk home in the dark, get a personal attack alarm. You can ask your local crime prevention officer where you can buy one. Carry it in your hand so you can use it immediately to scare off an attacker. Make sure it is designed to continue sounding if it’s dropped or falls to the ground.
  • It is always worth letting someone know where you are going, the route you intend to take and when you expect to return.

London Underground TrainTravelling on public transport

  • On a platform, wait in a well lit section and where there are other people around or members of staff. If you are travelling by bus, use a well used stop.
  • Know the departure times so that you don't have to wait for long. Make sure that you know the time of the last train or bus.
  • If someone starts up a conversation, do not give away personal information like where you live or work.
  • On a train try and sit in a busy carriage and sit in the front or middle carriages, they are less likely to empty suddenly.
  • Trust your instincts about who you sit near. If you feel uncomfortable, switch seats. You might even want to get off at a busy station and wait for the next train.
  • Make sure that you know where the emergency button or cord is and where any help points are.
  • Be aware of pickpockets: keep hold of any bags and keep anything in your pockets secure.
  • If you are in a crowd and someone is touching you or rubbing against you in a way you don't like, don't put up with it. Either tell them to move back a little or, if you can't face it or aren't sure who's doing it, stick your elbows out to create some more space for yourself. As soon as you can, move to a different part of the carriage. Even in a thick crowd, if you keep saying "excuse me" politely but determinedly, people will make way for you.
  • If you are frightened, TELL someone immediately. Choose a family group rather than a single person, and ask if you can stay with them until you feel safe. And ALWAYS report this kind of thing to the police - even if your information is vague, it will still be useful.

London TaxiTravelling by taxi or minicab

  • Choose black cabs rather than mini cabs - unless it's a local minicab company you recognise and trust.
  • Minicabs are not supposed to stop in the street at all - they are only ever allowed to pick up prearranged bookings. Do not pick up a minicab in the street
  • When booking a minicab choose a firm whose name you know and trust.
  • When you're ordering a taxi to come for you, give the address and your surname, and ask the driver to give your name when he arrives. When the taxi comes ask the driver who they have come to collect and check that he knows your name.
  • Ask the firm to quote you a price for the journey over the phone, so you can check that you have enough money.
  • Always sit in the back, not next to the driver.
  • Share the taxi with a friend if possible - you'll feel safer and it's cheaper.
  • When talking to the driver try and keep to general topics and don't give any personal information about yourself.

See also

Safer Merton

Contact us

Safer Merton
Merton Council
Civic Centre
London Road
Morden
SM4 5DX

Telephone: 020 8545 4146
Email: safer.merton@merton.gov.uk

This page was last updated on Thursday 4 November 2010