Sixty police officer have been recruited to patrol Greater Manchester’s trams and buses.
The new Transport Policing and Crime Command has been created to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour on the Bee Network.
The new squad will deliver a “significant increase” in visible policing and enforcement across the transport network, Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said.
The dedicated unit, which will also cover the city’s active travel routes and roads, has been formed with funding from the Mayor of Greater Manchester’s budget.
It will be supported by control centre staff at GMP and Transport for Greater Manchester, which has access to CCTV cameras across bus stations, interchanges, tram stops and train stations.
Chief Constable Sir Stephen Watson said the aim was to “make the roads and public transport among the safest in the UK”.
Bev Craig, Mayor of Greater Manchester said the move would “bring together up to 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network”.
She added: “It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.”
The unit would also “crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads”, she said.