Bucks buses to become “safe spaces” for people fearing abuse

Bedfordshire biggest bus operator has struck a partnership with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Police Authority, and the Cambridge and Peterborough Rape Crisis Centre to join the Businesses Against Abuse (BAA) scheme.

Under the scheme, the operator’s existing safeguarding procedures are being enhanced with additional training: drivers are being trained to recognise people who are in vulnerable situations either on or off the bus – and are being given guidance in how to offer help.

If a driver recognises that a woman or girl may be in fear of abuse on the street, they are authorised to pull over and ask if they need help and then take her to a safe place on route if necessary.

Likewise, if a driver recognises that a passenger is in fear of abuse, they have been given a range of options to help. These are called the “5 D’s” and include delegating, by involving others, distracting, and delaying until it is safe to challenge.

All Stagecoach East buses now display BAA stickers with QR codes by their entrance doors, designating them as safe-spaces and all their buses have multiple cameras, so cases of abuse will be Recorded and Reported.

The BAA scheme is now in effect on all Stagecoach East buses, throughout Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and the wider region.

The partnership was officially launched at a ceremony at the Milton Park & Ride in Cambridge, attended by women’s safety campaigners and elected officials. They were able to look round a specially branded bus, which promotes the BAA scheme.

Speaking at the launch, Darren Roe, Managing Director of Stagecoach East, said: “Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls is something that we all need to take responsibility for and we are working very hard to play our part in this. I would encourage anyone who is in fear or abuse, either on the bus or if they see a bus, to make themselves known to the driver, who will try to help them.

“We have no silver bullet and we cannot solve every problem, but we have the desire and the determination to play our part, and over time our drivers will become ever more confident with what we are asking of them. We also hope that, because our buses will be very visible as a place where victims can go and report abuse, it will deter would-be abusers.”

Norah Al-Ani, Director of the Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre, added: “We are really pleased to be working together on this – the training we have delivered to the Training Team so far has been a real success, and I hope that it will make a noticeable difference in our communities. If a woman or a girl, who is the subject of abuse, sees a Stagecoach East bus, they will now be able to recognise it as a place of safety.”

Meanwhile, Nicky Peacock, Businesses Against Abuse Accreditation Scheme Force Lead at Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “We know that the figures for Violence Against Women and Girls are shocking throughout our communities, so these kinds of partnerships are invaluable in raising this as an issue of concern and giving victims somewhere they can go to find safety. I would encourage more local businesses to be like Stagecoach East and join BAA.”

· Approximately 300 local businesses are part of Businesses Against Abuse, with approximately 3,000 people trained. Find out more at https://www.cambs.police.uk/police-forces/cambridgeshire-constabulary/areas/campaigns/campaigns/businesses-against-abuse/