Brighton’s universities have teamed up to launch a street marshal scheme in areas popular with students at night.
The Street Wise scheme will see pairs of marshalls walking around the streets in London Road, The Level and Lewes Road on Wednesday, Thursday and Fridays between 10pm and 4am – the nights students say they are most likely to go out.
The scheme, piloted earlier this year, aims to promote a supportive and reassuring environment for students and other members of the community travelling through the city.
It is also designed to strengthen community relationships by encouraging responsible behaviour at night, particularly in residential areas.
Councillor Emma Daniel, chair of the neighbourhoods, inclusion, communities and equalities committee, said: “I am really pleased that the University of Sussex is leading on this important initiative.
“Whether it’s through offering safety advice to people travelling through the city at night, or making sure that people get home safely, the Street Wise scheme is a useful service not just for students but also for the wider community.”
Tim Westlake, Chief Operating Officer at the University of Sussex, explains the importance of the scheme: “Moving to a new city can be daunting for many students, who may be away from home for the first time. So we wanted to do everything we can to make sure they know how to navigate the city, especially on busy evenings.
“Through listening to local residents we also felt our Street Marshals scheme would be important in promoting harmonious and long-lasting relationships within our community.”
The marshals, who patrol in three mixed gender groups, are accredited through the Community Safety Accreditation scheme (CSAS) and approved by Sussex Police.
Initiated by the University of Sussex the scheme is also supported by the University of Brighton and BIMM, and developed in consultation with Brighton and Hove City Council and the Students’ Union at both universities.
