Campaign to make Merseyside transport safer for women extended

The campaign aims to make it clear there is no excuse for sexual violence and harassment

A campaign to improve women's safety, especially on public transport, is being rolled out across Merseyside following a pilot in Liverpool.

The Safer Streets project was launched in the city centre last year after a survey revealed more than half of women felt unsafe when travelling at night.

The scheme aims to stop unwanted sexual behaviour across transport routes.

New measures will include an increased police presence, more CCTV coverage and safe spaces within transport hubs.

Merseyside's Police and Crime Commissioner, Emily Spurrell, said: "It's totally unacceptable that many women and girls still don't feel safe using public transport or out about in our region, particularly at night.

"There is no excuse for sexual violence. Through Safer Streets Merseyside, we are taking a multi-faceted approach to tackling it - not just challenging perpetrators and unacceptable behaviour but also looking to change attitudes," she added.

The scheme was launched after a survey found 54% of women felt unsafe using buses and trains at night while more than 40% felt unsafe during the day.

It will be scaled up after Ms Spurrell and Liverpool City Council secured £576,000 of funding from the Home Office's Safer Streets project, which was set up following the deaths of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa.

Ms Spurrell said the campaign was "an essential part of our ongoing commitment to bring about change for thousands of women across our region now, and into the future".