Safety of women while travelling is key, says Women In Transport

Women In Transport has confirmed cross-party support for making women feel safe while travelling on the transport network.

The not-for-profit organisation, which promotes and supports the advancement of women in the transport industry, also announced the continued support of parliamentarians from across the political spectrum in addressing the under-representation of women in the sector.

Support for tackling these issues was confirmed at the Annual General Meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Women in Transport, held in parliament on June 8.

Ruth Cadbury MP (Labour) was re-appointed as chair of the APPG and the officers discussed and agreed a programme of parliamentary events and site visits to support women in transport.

She said: “Our cross-party group will continue to work with leaders from across the transport sector to promote best practice in gender diversifying the sector workforce, with a new focus on ensuring women feel safe as customers while travelling. Updating our purpose to also represent women as transport users, will enable us to work with industry and government to improve women’s safety.”

Jo Field, president of Women in Transport and secretariat to the APPG for Women in Transport, added: “It’s brilliant to continue to receive cross-party support in addressing women’s under-representation in the transport sector workforce, and I welcome the APPG’s new focus on improving women’s safety as transport users.

“Women in Transport members tell us they want to feel safe both as transport workers and customers, and supporting women’s safety is a key focus in our recently announced strategy for advancing Women in Transport.

“The transport sector will not be inclusive until women feel safe as transport users and we look forward to working with parliamentarians to drive forward initiatives and policies that ensure women are protected.”

The following parliamentarians have been elected as officers of the APPG for Women in Transport:

Chair: Ruth Cadbury MP, Labour.

Vice-chair: Baroness Jenny Randerson, Liberal Democrats. 

Officers: Baroness Margaret Prosser, Labour; Lilian Greenwood MP, Labour; Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Conservative; Navendu Mishra MP, Labour; Marsha de Cordova MP, Labour. 

Members: Rupa Huq MP, Labour; Rachael Maskell, Labour; Lord Moylan, Conservative; Baroness Merron, Labour; Gavin Newlands, SNP; Tan Dhesi, Labour; Drew Hendry MP, SNP; Lord Faulkner of Worcester, Labour; Dame Baroness Grey-Thompson, Crossbench, Lord Berkeley, Labour; Helen Morgan MP, Lib Dem.