Work is getting underway on a series of measures designed to make Liverpool’s transport network safer for women and girls.
A powerful visual communications campaign highlighting unacceptable behaviours such as touching, groping and stalking has launched.
It followed a survey, run by the Merseyside Police and Crime Commissioner and an extensive consultation with those using public transport including student groups and young people, which highlighted how fears around using public transport had increased since the tragic murder of Sarah Everard.
In response, Safer Streets Liverpool aims to provide a range of new initiatives including:
- Enhanced CCTV coverage at city centre bus stations.
- New ‘help points’ connected to the CityWatch control room and better links with emergency services.
- ‘Safe spaces’ for anyone who feels vulnerable within travel centres at each of the bus stations.
- Bus drivers and frontline bus station staff will receive ‘bystander training’ to better understand and know how to prevent sexual violence. The training will equip them to act as ‘guardians’, to make passengers feel safer.
- A new text message service, specifically requested by young people, which can be used to report concerns and help to identify offenders.
- Increased police and uniformed presence on the transport network.
- The use of the mobile police unit in hotspot areas and at times when women feel most unsafe.
The website can be found at https://saferstreetsliverpool.com/