A woman waits for an underground train
(Picture: Getty Images)Almost half of women say they have stopped travelling in London at certain times of the day due to concerns about personal safety.
The findings, from research by the passenger watchdog London TravelWatch, came in the wake of the night-time killings of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.
Concerns are increasing that safety fears could become more acute if the Government fails to award Transport for London a long-term funding deal next week, as off-peak bus and Tube services would face the axe under cost-saving plans.
Tuesday’s report found 23 per cent of passengers - and 48 per cent of women respondents - no longer travelled at certain times of the day due to safety concerns.
Almost three quarters of respondents - the research questioned more than 1,000 passengers and a focus group of young women - said after 10pm was the least safe time to travel.
The report called on TfL to fully restore Night Tube services as soon as possible, for weekend Night buses to be protected from any cuts and an assurance that bus frequencies will not drop below one every 12 minutes.
Research from the Young Women’s Trust found that 16 per cent of young women had been unable to apply for a jab, turned down a job or left a job because the journey to and from work wasn’t safe.
London TravelWatch director Emma Gibson said: “Nobody wants to wait any longer than they have to for a bus, Tube or train, but this research shows a clear link between bus and Tube frequency and personal security concerns, particularly late at night amongst women and girls, older and disabled people and people of colour. Having staff at stations also makes people feel safer.
“With a decision on TfL’s funding being made next week, it’s a timely reminder that keeping night-time transport frequent avoids people spending more time than they need to at dark bus stops or deserted platforms and makes them feel safer when travelling in the capital.
“It’s really important that TfL fully restores Night Tube services as soon as possible and resists the temptation to cut back weekend night buses as not everyone can afford a taxi or Uber when they need to get home late at night.”
Fewer than five buses an hour means that a service is no longer regarded as “turn up and go” and would leave passengers potentially waiting at isolated bus stops for a considerable period.
Only two of the five Night Tube lines - the Victoria and Central - have been relaunched, and train frequencies have been hit by an ongoing strike by RMT drivers.
The RMT is also threatening separate action over the loss of between 500 and 600 posts across the Tube network due to TfL’s financial crisis.
The report said the long-term funding crisis faced by TfL and national rail services was “concerning” from a personal security perspective.
It said: “Firstly, more frequent services reduces the risk of passengers being left stranded or waiting for a long time in dark, unfamiliar stations.
“Secondly, the overall efficiency and reliability of the network has a significant impact on how safe passengers feel.
“When we spoke to young women in particular, not only did they want staff to be present, they wanted staff levels to increase.”
Overall, the report found that 79 per cent of passengers felt very or fairly safe on the capital’s public transport network.
Only seven per cent felt fairly or very unsafe, though women were twice as likely to feel unsafe than men.
There was majority support for an app to report crime or unsafe behaviour on public transport. Many passengers assume that by the time they leave the Tube, bus or train it is too late to report an incident, the report said.
The BTP is due to launch such an app this year, with TfL said to be watching the impact, having paused the inclusion of such a function on its TfL Go app.
Crime levels on public transport fell by 52 per cent in 2020/21, compared with the previous year, due to the pandemic.
Of the 19,521 crimes recorded on TfL services, nine out of 10 were on the Tube or bus. Sexual offences were down 71 per cent on the Tube to 311 incidents, and down by 59 per cent on the buses to 754 incidents.
There were 212 robberies on the Tube and 979 on the buses, both down more than 40 per cent.
A TfL spokesman said: “ The safety of women and girls is an absolute priority for us. We recognise women’s concerns about safety and continue to invest in transport policing to prevent and tackle sexual offences.
“We are also running a public awareness campaign to highlight what constitutes sexual harassment. A near normal Night Tube service is operating each weekend on the Victoria line, with a reduced but regular service on the Central line through central London, and we are working hard to resume services on the remaining Night Tube lines as soon as possible. The Night Overground and our extensive night bus network also continue to operate.”
