Huddersfield: Bus offers night-time safe space for women

The bus provides a safe space for women on a night out, Kirklees Council said

A project aimed at helping women feel safer at night has been introduced in West Yorkshire.

The Night Safety bus is operating in Huddersfield town centre on Wednesday and Saturday evenings to provide a safe space for women on a night out.

Kirklees Council said the bus and its team of trained staff were on hand to help people report sexual harassment, or if someone is feeling threatened.

Street marshals have also been funded to provide support on busy nights.

It operates in the town centre on Wednesday and Saturday evenings

Although the bus has been introduced specifically to support women, it is open to anyone who may find themselves in a vulnerable position while enjoying a night out, the council said.

It is staffed by community health group Locala and drug and alcohol support service Chart Kirklees.

Volunteers are also offering advice, along with practical measures such as phone charging and giving out bottle stoppers to help prevent drinks being spiked.

The initiative has been welcomed by students such as Morgan

The initiative has been welcomed by students in the town, including Morgan, who said she and her housemate recently had their drinks spiked.

"It was quite a shock to the system when we had that kind of incident - and it's made us more cautious now," she said.

"If that had been here [at the time] it would have been really good."

Another student said: "I think it is very comforting to have - you've got options and don't feel like you've got nowhere to go."

Det Ch Insp Marie Bulmer, of West Yorkshire Police, said the scheme provided reassurance to women

Det Ch Insp Marie Bulmer, of West Yorkshire Police, said: "It's really important, especially as we are all aware of violence against women and girls nationally, that we make sure women and girls coming into Huddersfield feel safe, and are safe.

"Huddersfield is a safe place for women and girls - so this is not about reacting to crime - this is more of a preventative measure and to make sure we are reassuring women and girls that it is a safe place for them to be."

Venues in the town have also signed up to a national campaign, where people can ask staff for "Angela" if they feel uncomfortable and workers will call a taxi or help them leave discreetly.