Department of Transport

John Bowis issues a challenge over crime on public transport
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date 15 October 1996
source Department of Transport
type Press release

note 316

Transport Minister John Bowis today called for the public transport
industry to examine the effect that the fear of crime might be having
on passengers.

Mr Bowis announced that the Government is about to commission
research to find out whether people's fear of crime prevents them
from using public transport.

Mr Bowis said:

"It is important to distinguish between the risk of crime on public
transport and the perception that individuals have of that risk.

"We will be looking not only to assess the scale of these problems,
but also for answers.

"I want to identify a range of measures and solutions which will
improve the way in which the safety of public transport is
perceived," said Mr Bowis. "Not only by regular passengers, but also
by those who don't use public transport because of fears of becoming
victims of crime.

"I hope that by doing this we can encourage more people to use our
excellent public transport services, and to use them at times of the
day which they might normally avoid.

"Operators can do a huge amount to help. By reviewing their
procedures and training, by looking at their vehicles and
infrastructure from the passenger's point of view and by providing
better information to the public they can persuade passengers who
avoid or have left public transport because of fear of crime to
return".

Railhub Archive ::: 1996-10-15 DoT-002