New study raises concerns about women’s safety at Welsh railway stations

Mark Mansfield

A new study has raised concerns about women’s safety at railway stations across Wales, highlighting a lack of staff, emergency facilities and safe onward travel at a number of locations that researchers say could leave passengers feeling vulnerable after dark.

The survey by Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) identified concerns at stations including Saundersfoot and Chepstow, while Cardiff Central, Llandudno and Aberystwyth were highlighted as examples of good practice.

At Saundersfoot, researchers said passengers face a mile-long walk to the town centre along an unlit road, while at Chepstow they called for CCTV inside the station and the installation of an emergency telephone.

Respondents also identified a number of stations, including Pembroke, Pembroke Dock, Kilgetty, Penally, Milford Haven and Narberth, as being permanently unstaffed.

Researchers warned that isolated stations with limited emergency provision can leave women feeling particularly vulnerable during evening journeys. One contributor at Chepstow concluded: “I really feel that CCTV cameras should be installed inside the station and an emergency phone number in case of emergency.”

The findings form part of a Britain-wide survey of 373 railway stations, which concluded that staffing has become the biggest safety concern on the rail network.

Just 10% of stations surveyed were staffed whenever passengers were present, while 30% were permanently unstaffed. Fewer than half (44%) displayed clear information about who was responsible for passenger safety.

Researchers found that while CCTV coverage and passenger information have improved significantly over the past two decades, staffing has deteriorated sharply, with the report describing it as “the single most significant and recurring concern”.

Gillie O’Rourke, President of SIGBI, said: “These key measures, which can help women feel more secure, remain inconsistent, patchy and mixed at best.

“This leaves women increasingly vulnerable when travelling by train.”

SIGBI first investigated women’s safety on Britain’s railways almost 30 years ago after one of its members was attacked while travelling on a train. It says the latest survey shows many of the same concerns remain despite improvements in CCTV coverage and emergency help points.

Invest

A Transport for Wales spokesperson said the operator was continuing to invest in safety measures across its network following a recent rail safety summit.

“While we are pleased to see Cardiff Central, Llandudno, and Aberystwyth recognised for good practice, our commitment is to maintain a secure and safe environment across every station we serve.

“Working closely with the Welsh Government, British Transport Police, and Network Rail following our safety summit, we are taking an intelligence-led approach to keep both our passengers and colleagues safe.

“We have recently completed a gender equity audit across our stations and depots, which has helped us identify further opportunities to improve the experience and safety of women and girls across our network.

“Our significant investments in upgraded CCTV and body worn cameras for frontline staff have been hugely successful in helping deter crime, de-escalate incidents, and secure convictions.”

TfW said it had also installed more than 900 new CCTV cameras at 50 stations in partnership with Network Rail as part of its station enhancement programme.

The spokesperson added: “We welcome the feedback from the SIGBI report and will continue to work with our partners to strengthen safety, security, and accessibility across our stations and services.

“We encourage our passengers to contact the British Transport Police by texting 61016 during their journey if they feel unsafe or if they see something that doesn’t look right, and to always call 999 in an emergency.”

Minimum safety standards

The charity is calling on rail operators, Network Rail, the Department for Transport and the Office of Rail and Road to introduce minimum safety standards at stations, particularly those that are unstaffed in the evenings.

Its recommendations include reliable emergency help points, monitored CCTV, adequate lighting, clear information about who is responsible for passenger safety and improved accessibility for disabled passengers.

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