Research
The research was conducted by consultancy Goudappel and focused on the feelings of safety and insecurity among travelers. The main conclusions from the research: young women feel less safe in public transport in Limburg than other groups. Particularly after 7:00 PM, they feel unsafe in public transport. Two-thirds of young women report feeling unsafe at the station after 7:00 PM. Overall, travelers feel safer on the bus than on the train and in the vehicle than at the station or bus stop. Intercity stations are most often associated with feelings of insecurity.
The feeling of insecurity in public transport leads certain groups to adjust their travel behavior. For instance, older adults more often avoid public transport at certain times, and women increasingly keep acquaintances informed of their travels via their phones. Moreover, young women often isolate themselves from the outside world with earbuds or headphones and try not to stand out.
Deputy Jasper Kuntzelaers (Mobility): “The results of the research are deeply impressive. It is unacceptable that people – especially young women – feel unsafe so often during their journeys. Everyone should be able to use public transport in Limburg with peace of mind. Offenders who cause nuisance or harass others must know that their behavior will not be tolerated. As the Province of Limburg, we take our responsibility and, together with Arriva, focus on extra staff, an emergency contact option, and a cleaner and safer environment. However, social safety in public transport is a broad societal issue that cannot be solved by us alone: it requires collaboration between transport operators, government, and society itself.”
Measures and Actions
The Province of Limburg acknowledges the seriousness of the outcomes and takes measures in collaboration with Arriva. Starting in 2026, four additional service and safety staff (BOA’s) will be structurally deployed, a pilot with an emergency contact number will be developed, and extra attention will be paid to the presence of staff and cleaner vehicles. Additionally, we will engage in discussions with Arriva about a communication campaign on social safety and the Province will continue to engage with transport operators, municipalities, NS, and ProRail regarding further improvements.