A major Bedford bus operator is set to introduce additional training to help its drivers prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) and provide a safe space for female passengers.
In addition, Stagecoach East has partnered with Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Police Authority, and the Cambridge and Peterborough Rape Crisis Centre to form the Buses and Businesses Against Abuse (BAA) scheme.
The operator has already been recognised for the work it is doing to prevent VAWG on its services.
Read: Bedfordshire bus operator wins national award for protecting women and girls
Under the BAA scheme, if a Stagecoach East 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.
This is in addition to the operator’s existing safeguarding procedures, such as several CCTV cameras being on each bus.
The training, delivered by the Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) team at Stagecoach East, features a combination of awareness-raising about the threats posed to women and girls, and techniques to combat these threats without putting the driver at risk.
The new course aims to be both thought-provoking and detailed.
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.
“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 hope, because our buses are very visible, this training, along with the CCTV cameras on every bus, will deter would-be abusers.”
Over the next 12 months and then continuously, all Stagecoach East drivers will receive a full day’s training on recognising and how to react to the reality of VAWG.
Drivers with less than two years’ experience will also be given local training.
