More than half of Irish women fear public transport at night - survey

Описание: The Minister for Transport has said he will examine how a sense of safety can be increased on public transport.

It follows a survey for Transport Infrastructure Ireland that found that more than half of the women it spoke to said they would not use public transport after dark or late at night.

Minister Ryan said he was shocked at how many women reported they felt unsafe on public transport.

He said he believed the increased presence of people on public transport can help ensure the safety of these modes of transport.

The report entitled Travelling in a Woman's Shoes found that 34% of women stated that the feeling of being unsafe has on occasion stopped them from going out altogether.

The study conducted last year says 33% of public transport users have seen or experienced some form of harassment or violence while using public transport.

The report says that staying safe is a top priority for many women while travelling every day.

It says a single incident often has a lasting impact.

Dublin Bus said that it operates a fleet of 1,000 buses and "while the operation on such a large scale is challenging, the level of anti-social behaviour is relatively low".

It added: "We have a strong and close working relationship with An Garda Síochána. The entire Dublin Bus fleet is fully fitted with CCTV cameras with up to 10 internal and 2 external cameras fitted on the more modern vehicles in the fleet.

"All Dublin Bus drivers are trained on the comprehensive procedures for dealing with specific situations. Each vehicle is equipped with a radio which allows immediate contact to our Central Control Centre.

"This means that our drivers have immediate contact to a team of Dublin Bus Inspectors should assistance be required in any given situation."

Luas operator Transdev said it had noted the content of the survey and wished to remind passengers about the measures in place for travelling safely on Luas.

It said passengers who witness or who want to report incidents of anti-social behaviour, should do so in confidence by using their text service.

It said: "Simply text the word LUAS to 51444 and you can discreetly describe any incident you believe should be reported to us.

"Luas also has security on trams from early morning until the last trams at night. Emergency help points are available at all Luas stops and on board all trams. Luas also enjoy an excellent working relationship with the Gardaí."