Is London or Manchester safer?
London and Manchester are two main cities in Britain, which are always compared in security. The topic will be discussed in this artical.
Posted on Sep 27, 2024
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Manchester Vs London
There seems to be a lot of contention around the topic of safety when it comes to the UK, some people argue that the UK and, to a greater extent, cities like Manchester and London are very safe places to live, provided you keep your wits about you like any other place. Others disagree and claim there are plenty of areas peppering the UK that could be considered very dangerous to live or work in. Getting to the bottom of things, “safety” is a subjective term, to begin with, what one person deems “safe” another may see as a potential risk. Manchester and London, both deemed capitals to some extent, one in a more official sense and another in a more colloquial sense, which of these two thriving cities can be considered a safer place to be.
To compare the two cities, we are going to compare the cities based on 3 aspects.
Content
1.Comparison of Crime Rate
2.Comparison of Crime in Everyday Scenes
3.Public Security Measure
1.Comparison of Crime Rate
In London
The number of crimes reported by the police in London was 938,020 in 2023/24, compared with 887,870 in the previous reporting year. Although there was a slight dip in overall recorded crime in the aftermath of the pandemic, this was not the case for violent crime in particular remains at elevated levels. One positive is that the number of homicide offences in 2023/24 has remained beneath the 159 reported in 2017/18. Additionally, the Metropolitan Police force area has a lower crime rate than many of the UK's other major police forces, such as West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, and Merseyside.
Crime rate per 1,000 population in London from 2015/16 to 2023/24
From(https://www.statista.com/statistics/380963/london-crime-rate/)
The crime rate in London was 105.8 crime offences per thousand people for the 2023/24 reporting year, compared with 100.9 in the previous year. Between 2015/16 and 2019/20 the crime rate in the UK capital increased in every reporting year, with the sudden drop seen in 2019/20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing a sharp reduction in certain types of crime such as robbery and theft.
In Manchester
In the twelve months to end of 2024 Q1 (12 months ending) Manchester had recorded 162.79 crimes per 1000 people. This had decreased from 180.24 crimes per 1000 people in the last equivalent period. The number of recorded offences (excluding fraud) in Manchester for the past 12 months was 94,406 crimes.
In the 2022/23 reporting year Greater Manchester Police reported 369,853 crime offences, of which 141,336 were violence against the person offences, the most common type of crime in this reporting year.
Crime rate (per 1,000 population) in Greater Manchester from 2015/16 to 2022/23
In the 2022/23 reporting year, the crime rate for Greater Manchester was 128.9 crimes per 1,000 population, an increase on the previous year, and the highest crime rate during the recorded time period.
2.Comparison of Crime in Everyday Scenes
Living in London
Whilst it seemed to be all good news for Manchester, London doesn’t look quite so lucky. Theft from the person is their (relatively) biggest issue. According to the Metropolitan Police, last year London had over 282,069 theft crimes reported and an average crime count of 31.4 crimes reported per 1,000 people. Burglary also doesn’t look good either. Last year over 56,77 burglaries crimes were reported – making the crimes average crime rate 6.3 per 1,000 people. So, it is easy to see why there can be unease around living in London. In lighter news, shoplifting competes at 94% of the national average meaning it is strictly speaking less likely that a shop will be robbed here than anywhere else, however, vehicle crime is up a massive 197% which may make you think twice before parking in that public car park.
Working in London
When it comes to working in London, shoplifting and theft crimes were reported over 282,069 times in the last year and had an average crime rate of 31.4 offences per 1,000 people. Vehicle thefts were greatly higher than Manchester’s. In the last year, London car thefts were reported over 105,937 – making an average crime rate of 11.8 offences per 1,000 people.
Visiting London
Drug use, possession of weapons, and violent crimes are some of the crimes – tourists need to be aware of when visiting London. During 2023, drug crimes were reported over 39,099 times – making its crime rate 4.4 crimes per 1,000 people. Possession of weapons had slightly decreased from the previous year. These types of crimes had an average crime rate of 0.7 crimes per 1,000 people and were only reported 6,276 times. However, it is violent crimes that tourists need to be the most cautious of. In 2023, London’s violent crimes had an average crime rate of 28.1 crimes per 1,000 and were reported over 251,819 times.
Living in Manchester
There is one predominant thing to worry about when it comes to living in a location. The common crime associated with this is burglary crimes. According to crime statistics from the Manchester Police, last year Manchester had an overall crime rate of 8.63 burglaries reported per 1,000.
Working in Manchester
It brings with it fear of shoplifting for those grabbing lunch or working in the shops themselves and vehicle crime for when cars are left in public spaces for long periods of time a day. In 2023, shoplifting crimes were quite low in Manchester – with only a crime rate of 7.68 crimes reported per 1,000. Vehicle crimes are another risk that threatens workers. Car thefts in Manchester have risen. Manchester Police reported that last year, the city had an average crime rate of 13.56 car theft offences reported per 1,000 people.
Visiting Manchester
When it comes to visiting Manchester, tourists need to be aware of crimes such as possession of weapons, drug use and violent crimes. All of these can make a trip to Manchester very unpleasant. Last year, Manchester’s drug crimes had an overall crime rate of 7.91 crimes reported per 1,000 people. Manchester crimes relating to possession of weapons had an average crime rate of 2.59 crimes reported per 1,000 people. While the city’s violent crimes had risen to a crime count of 66.88 crimes reported per 1,000 people.
The following is a more detailed diagram showing the common crimes in Manchester and London.
3.Public Security Measure
Despite these potential risks, both of cities had implemented various measures to enhance safety for both residents and visitors.
In London
1. Policing Plan: The Mayor of London prioritizes fighting crime and keeping London safe, with the Police and Crime Plan 2021-2025 outlining efforts to increase trust and confidence in policing and reduce neighborhood crimes.
2. Community Policing: London emphasizes community involvement in policing, encouraging residents to participate in community safety and fostering neighborhood watch programs.
3. Technology Application: Advanced surveillance and data analysis technologies are utilized to prevent and solve crimes.
4. Public Safety Campaigns: Public safety is promoted through media and public campaigns to raise awareness among citizens.
5. Preventive Measures: The London government provides safety guidelines, reminding citizens and visitors to be mindful of personal safety, such as not leaving bags unattended and being cautious when using ATMs.
6. Child Protection: The Metropolitan Police has launched a new Children’s Strategy aimed at protecting children from crime and ensuring officers are trained to recognize and respond to childhood vulnerability.
7. Public Place Safety: Public spaces like restaurants and bars have safety measures in place, such as clips under tables to secure personal items.
8. Transport Safety: London's public transport network is patrolled by a dedicated police force, and the extensive use of CCTV ensures passenger safety.
9. Counter-Terrorism: London has introduced the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill, also known as Martyn’s Law, to enhance security at public events and venues.
10. Border Security: The UK government has announced new measures to boost border security, including the recruitment of additional officers to target and dismantle organized immigration crime networks.
These measures reflect London's commitment to public safety and the well-being of its residents and visitors.
In Manchester
1. Community Safety Partnership: A collaboration between Manchester City Council, Greater Manchester Police, and other organizations to reduce crime and disorder.
3. Street Engagement Model: Working with voluntary and community sector partners to support individuals and improve community safety.
4. Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs): Enforcing orders to restrict behaviors like street drinking and harassment in certain areas.
5. Road Safety Collaboration: Working with GMP’s Roads Policing Unit and the Council’s Traffic Team to improve road safety and reduce accidents.
6. Transport Safety: Collaborating with British Transport Police and the Travel Safe Unit to ensure public transport users' safety.
8. Reporting Mechanisms: Establishing accessible and safe ways for people to report crimes and anti-social behaviors, with a focus on building community trust.
These initiatives reflect Manchester's commitment to creating a safe environment for all residents and visitors.
9. Border security: Border security and security check at airports and train stations have been strengthened.
10.Counter-terrorism legislation: Over the past 20 years, the UK has enacted and amended at least nine national security-related laws, such as the Counter-Terrorism Act 2000, the Counter Terrorism Act 2006 and the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015, which have gradually improved the national security legislation against terrorism and the spread of extremist ideas.
These measures demonstrate Manchester's efforts and commitment to maintain public safety.
In conclusion, Is London or Manchester safer is a complicated question, which needs to be considered according to specific situations. What’s more, it is a good way to consulting local police, school, community or organization to get more comprehensive information and advice.
