Boozed-up or injured revellers in Colchester could soon be given refuge in a double-decker bus.
The haven for nightlife casualties would roll into the town centre on Friday and Saturday nights. It would be staffed by first aiders and counsellors and looked after by door staff.
A prototype of the SOS bus is expected to hit Southend by Christmas - and Colchester bar bosses are keen to copy the initiative.
But the night-time safety scheme is expected to cost £150,000 a year to run.
The south Essex scheme was pioneered by Southend police, YMCA and businesses. Southend licensing officer Matt Bell said: "It will free up ambulances from taking people to A&E that don't really need to be taken to hospital because they are drunk. This is the first time it will be developed as a stand-alone business use project."
The scheme is intended to crack down on behaviour on the streets which is not criminal but inappropriate.
Mr Bell will give a presentation on the SOS bus scheme to members of Colchester's Pubwatch soon.
Colchester licensing officer Michael Aitchinson said plans were in the very early stages.
"It would need a lot of funding and policing. It is a safety thing for nightclubbers and the evening economy. It is something we're looking at."
Published Wednesday, September 1, 2004
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