PLAIN-clothes police are to go on the buses to help combat crime and disorder in Hyndburn.

Bus company Lancashire United Travel says the scheme today is its latest initiative in its partnership with Lancashire Police.

The move comes after Lancashire United drivers complained of increasing abuse and anti-social behaviour on specific routes -- both on the buses and on the streets.

Blazefield Holdings, the Harrogate-based owners of Lancashire United Travel, introduced a hi-tech CCTV security system for its vehicles with digital cameras, which has also proved efficient at recording activities on the streets.

Plain-clothes police officers have also begun riding on buses to monitor behaviour and some uniformed officers have travelled their beats on buses to provide a visible presence to deter potential trouble-makers.

Sgt Mark Porter of Accrington Police said: "Officers travelling on the buses give reassurance to Lancashire United and all passengers using Lancashire United services that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated anywhere.

"The message is clear -- it is unacceptable that bus drivers should be afraid of simply doing their job. People committing offences or engaging in anti-social behaviour on or near Lancashire United buses will be caught on camera or by police officers.

"Offenders may not know that they are being watched but they should know that they face the certain prospect of prosecution."

When officers are not on the buses potential trouble makers will still be watched by the CCTV system.

Giles Fearnley, chairman of Blazefield Holdings, said: "The cameras are our response to the call by former Transport Minister Keith Hill for bus operators to have greater regard to the personal safety and security concerns of passengers.

"What we did not anticipate was the very high use of our CCTV system by the police, who are able to use video evidence from buses in court for police prosecutions."

He added: "We feel that CCTV is now making an important contribution to safety, both on and off the vehicles because our bus cameras can act like mobile versions of Neighbourhood Watch. In fact you could say we have become Bus Watch."

Buses are now equipped as standard with the system, which includes two cameras covering the bus interior from front to rear, a third that watches all boarding and alighting movements and a fourth mounted on the front dashboard which looks ahead to monitor anti-social behaviour on the streets, as well as road accidents and infringements at bus stops and in bus priority lanes.

Similar buses in Burnley and Keighley are also helping police to crack roadside crime.

Footage of street incidents in Hyndburn gathered from the CCTV cameras on Lancashire United buses has provided evidence for the police to tackle the problem.