Cross party support for proposed safety on public transport Bill

Emily Price

Proposals for a new Bill which would introduce measures to improve safety for people on public transport has received cross party support in the Senedd.

The legislative proposal put forward by Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell saw 32 members of the Senedd voted for the motion, with 13 abstaining and none voting against.

The bill would introduce systems for regular monitoring, reporting and upgrading of lighting for public transport services, including on board, at stops and stations, and on streets surrounding stations and major bus stops.

It would also review training for those working in the transport industry on the topic of personal safety.

Safety

South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell said: “My legislative proposal is fundamentally about safety, about making our train stations and bus stops safer, more accessible, and making it easier for people to get to and from those spaces. We all want public transport to be made more appealing, but, for lots of groups of people, the decision isn’t always about convenience, but security.

“My bill that would introduce more integrated systems for monitoring and upgrading street lighting for public transport services, not just at major stops and stations, but on the streets immediately surrounding them. It would provide for reviewing the training offered to people working on public transport about personal safety, to protect themselves and their passengers.

The proposal would develop more consistent and transparent systems for reporting and recording incidents of abuse that affect vulnerable public transport users.

There would also be a statutory duty on public transport companies to guarantee passengers get to their destination, or a place of safety, after dark.

Duty

Ms Jewell said: “It would streamline the processes for reporting abuse and would crucially assess the need for a statutory duty on public transport companies to guarantee that passengers should get to their destination or a place of safety after dark.

“I support the suggestions from Guide Dogs Cymru for audio announcements at stations and during journeys, accessible signs, tactile wayfinding, step-free access and help points at major stations. This would be an improvement and make things fairer for all when it comes to public transport.

“This Bill is about democratising our public spaces, making sure that those spaces that are meant for all of us aren’t out of bounds for people because society makes them more vulnerable.”

“I’m calling on the Welsh Government to assess the need for a statutory duty or obligation on public transport companies to get their passengers home or to a place of safety after dark. This is something that we’ve discussed in the Climate Change, Environment, and Infrastructure Committee.

“This notion of a duty of getting passengers home or to a place of safety could be included as a requirement in the forthcoming bus franchising scheme or part of the Transport for Wales rail contract.”