With the National Police Chiefs’ Council declaring it a “national emergency” and the new government introducing “Raneem’s Law” as one of its first policy priorities, it is clear that violence against women and girls is high on the political agenda, and I am proud to see that many of our members have been proactively addressing women and girls’ safety through a variety of initiatives across the country.
Women rely more than men on buses, making on average over 40% more bus trips, often as a result of having more care responsibilities.
In Scotland, free bus travel for under-22s provides a great opportunity for girls and young women to travel independently, as it also does for older and disabled women who receive free bus travel across Britain.
It is essential that we make sure everyone who boards a bus — regardless of time or place — feels they are stepping into a safe, welcoming environment.
The Stagecoach team in Wales has been working with Welsh Women’s Aid and Aberystwyth University to create a “toolbox talk” style awareness training for frontline staff, along with the implementation of an “Ask for Angela” protocol for any women who may require immediate support.
Trentbarton bus drivers are trained as part of the J9 scheme to respond appropriately and effectively to domestic abuse disclosures. These efforts are building crucial skills and awareness within the workforce.
And Stagecoach East buses are now officially “safe spaces” for people fearing abuse, with local bus drivers receiving training from Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre through the police’s Businesses Against Abuse scheme.
While there is clearly lots of good work taking place across the country, there remains a need to think bigger and coordinate more broadly
Many of our members are also part of initiatives that go beyond onboard safety, recognising that transport providers can play a supportive role in the community.
Lothian Buses is one such example. It is the first transport provider in the UK to enter into partnership with Strut Safe,  a volunteer-operated support telephone line offering a friendly voice at the end of the phone for those travelling alone to feel safer from door to door.
And in Essex, First Bus is supporting the Bystander scheme, which provides residents with information, guidance and an online module on what they can do if they see inappropriate or threatening behaviour and provides advice on how they can address it in a safe way.
While there is clearly lots of good work taking place across the country, there remains a need to think bigger and coordinate more broadly.
The upcoming Better Buses Bill may offer a timely opportunity to examine the systems and policies that can help integrate successful local interventions into national standards.
Recent research conducted for both the Department for Transport and Transport Scotland shows how women feel about using public transport and the measures they take to manage their own safety.
While initiatives like those our members have adopted are essential, they’re often specific to certain regions or providers. The next step is to bridge these gaps and share what we know about the effective practices available.
I’m looking forward to attending the Bus Centre of Excellence Conference on 28 November, where the focus on violence against women and girls will give us the chance to learn from each other, identify areas for improvement, and bring forward practical steps for creating a safe experience on all our buses.
Discussions will include training and supporting staff, encouraging behaviour change among passengers, and improving reporting and response mechanisms.
It would be great if the conference can address some of the above and start to answer the critical question: How do we move from sharing best practice and good ideas to tackling this emergency through a national framework?
