The Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE) (funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) and run by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT)), hosted a conference to highlight the issue of violence against women and girls and work on potential solutions through collaboration, knowledge sharing, and industry support.

Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood MP opened the conference alongside Sue Percy CBE - CIHT, Leon Daniels OBE – Chair of BCoE Advisory Board, and Stephen Bennett – Arup.

The issue of violence against women and girls occurring on public transport was brought to the attention of BCoE by its members, including local authorities and bus operators.

The conference reflects the government’s aim to halve violence against women and girls in a decade, a part of the government’s wider mission to ‘take back our streets’.”

Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, highlighted in a recent Transport Select Committee evidence session that buses are the most commonly used form of public transport in the UK, are essential for achieving social justice, and provide a lifeline to many. 

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood MP, said:

No one should feel unsafe when travelling on our transport networks but unfortunately, this is too often the case for many women and girls.

We're committed to driving down anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, and today's event is just one of the ways in which we're working with people from across the sector to work up solutions which will make transport safer for everyone.

Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT said:

This important conference is an amplification of the messaging drawing attention to the critical issue of anti-social behaviour on public transport and ensuring the safety of women and girls. These are essential steps in creating a transport system that truly works for everyone and contributes to the broader well-being of our communities.

Buses play a vital role in our communities, serving as a lifeline for many, especially for individuals who rely on buses for commuting, accessing services, and social activities. Safe and inclusive bus services are essential for increasing public confidence and encouraging greater use of public transport.

The Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE) serves as an important facilitator of resources, guidance, and support for all those working within and around the bus sector.

By uniting local authorities, bus operators, industry experts, and practitioners to exchange experiences, address challenges, and develop innovative solutions, the bus industry can start to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls on transport. Through utilising these networks, stakeholders can collaboratively work towards enhancing bus services in the UK, ensuring they effectively meet the needs of all users.

CIHT and the Bus Centre of Excellence (BCoE) is looking forward to working with the Minister for Local Transport and the Department for Transport to reduce violence against women and girls on transport and enable the delivery of better transport networks for all.