Public Transport: Harassment

(asked on 25th October 2022) - View Source

Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent steps their Department has taken to help protect passengers from harassment on public transport.


Answered by
Richard Holden Portrait
Richard Holden
Minister without Portfolio (Cabinet Office)
This question was answered on 2nd November 2022

Everyone has the right to feel safe when travelling and using public spaces and we are determined to improve the safety of our transport network.

In March this year, the Violence Against Women and Girls Transport Champions published 13 recommendations on how we can improve the safety of women and girls on the transport network. Safe access to transport networks should be embedded in the core objectives of all that we do, and progressing these recommendations will make the network more welcoming not just to women and girls, but also to all transport users.

A national Sexual Harassment on Rail campaign went live in August 2021, based around a zero-tolerance approach to unwanted sexual behaviour.

The British Transport Police launched the Railway Guardian app in July 2022. The app provides rail passengers with a one-stop-shop containing tools and advice to assist in their safe travel across the railway.

The National Bus Strategy made clear that the sector should strive for the highest safety standards, upheld by the Traffic Commissioners. The Department was clear that Bus Service Improvement Plans should also demonstrate how Local Transport Authorities and bus operators will work together to ensure that bus services are safe and perceived to be safe by all.

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