Cabinet launches action plan to make stations safer

Secretary of State Thierry Aartsen (Public Transport and Environment): “You should be able to feel safe in public transport. It should be a given, but that is not always the case everywhere. Some travelers consciously avoid public transport because they feel unsafe at stations and are afraid of being harassed. We also see that public transport employees are increasingly physically and verbally threatened. That is unacceptable. The line has been crossed. Stations must be safe places, a pleasant place for both travelers and employees. We are now going to work hard on this to make public transport safer.”

The cabinet is coming up with the Action Plan A safe station; always for everyone! to improve social safety. This program looks at the station and the immediate surroundings of a station. The Ministry of IenW wants to work with ProRail, involved carriers such as NS, and other stakeholders such as municipalities to improve the situation at and around a number of specific stations. Which stations will be prioritized will be determined based on the ratings in the Stations Experience Monitor, incident data, signals from employees, and local input.

The goal is to conclude a Station Deal for each of these priority stations. Tailored solutions. Such a deal may include measures such as increased (camera) surveillance and a greater presence of BOAs or security teams at crucial places and times. The physical environment can also be addressed by, for example, better lighting on platforms, tunnels, and access routes. Or trimming bushes for better visibility and shops that are open late in the evening.

For the implementation of the Station Deals, the cabinet has made €20 million available, as was announced during the Budget Day.

In a recent study by the Knowledge Institute for Mobility Policy (KiM), 61% of regular public transport users indicated that they have felt unsafe in public transport in the past 12 months. The same study shows that for all modalities, including public transport, women feel socially unsafe more often. This hinders travelers, especially women, from using public transport in the evening. On average, last year 55 stations scored lower than a 6 on the question of whether people feel safe in the evening after 7 PM. In 2023, there were still 50 stations. This conflicts with the principle that stations and public transport as a whole should be a safe place for everyone, at any time of the day.

When it comes to employees in public transport, social safety is under pressure. The hardening of society is reflected in public transport: NS staff encounter aggression, threats, or intimidation on average three times a day. The number of incidents of physical and verbal aggression against employees has increased by over 60% since 2020. The number of incidents at stations during ticket inspections increased by nearly a quarter last year.

The design of stations also determines how safe people feel. Dark corners, deserted platforms, and poor lighting are factors that contribute to the feeling of insecurity. This especially affects women, particularly when it gets dark. This calls for more attention to the design of stations to prevent a sense of insecurity from arising.

The action plan fits into the existing approach of the Ministry of IenW to improve safety in public transport. ProRail ensures more camera surveillance at stations. Recently, €12 million has also been allocated for the use of body cameras by NS conductors. There is also discussion about the trial use of a short baton by NS conductors. Furthermore, the fine for fare evasion has increased by 40% as of October 1.

Additionally, the powers of BOAs in public transport are being examined to give them more options to establish the identity of individuals. From 2026, BOAs will gain access to the drivers license register. Pilots by NS and RET sharing information with the police show that this not only contributes to the professional deployment of BOAs but also leads to better cooperation between BOAs and the police. Given the positive results of the pilots, Justice and Security and Infrastructure and Water Management are working together on the broad legal safeguarding of this approach.