UITP to lead new project to advance public transport safety and security

Credit: UITP

For years, terrorism has been one of the biggest threats facing any public space, and public transport around the world has also withstood attacks.

Safety and security are a top priority for the sector. Its members work tirelessly on ensuring safe travel environments for their passengers: a continual process that should never been taken lightly. In bus transport, which is an essential part of the world’s mobility system, ensuring a secure environment should be on the top of the agenda of operators and authorities.

As a result, the International Association of Public Transport (UITP) has announced its collaboration with Safe Bus, a newly launched European Union (EU) project aiming to advance safety and support the prevention of attacks on the bus network, as operators and authorities work to win back the trust of passengers. 

Safe Bus will bring to the table special security services in the public transport sector, ensuring that all transport providers have access to knowledge about transport safety and emergency procedures. The project will also introduce new training initiatives on the security of public bus transportation systems for both managers and bus drivers, enrich safety procedures and implement ready to use recommended solutions.

Furthermore, Safe Bus will contribute to creating joint concepts in the field of security and harmonised standards for public spaces management for EU countries. With UITP at the helm, Safe Bus joins four other consortium partners: ARRIVA, the City of Warsaw, CARRIS and ATAC, who will advise on project recommendations and solutions.

“The public character and open nature of public transport means that the safety and security of passengers are predominant factors in our sector. The power of the Safe Bus project is in the cross-sectorial approach, whereby the strengthened cooperation between the bus sector and security community supports valuable knowledge exchange, better application of instruments and, in the end, a safer bus landscape,” said Carmela Canonico, Safety and Security Manager at UITP.

As UITP recognises the importance of security in public transport, it is also involved in further research and development around the topic with PREVENT PCP (PRocurEments of innoVativE, advaNced systems to support security in public Transport – Pre-Commercial Procurement). Launched in September 2021, this project aims to augment security in public transport through innovative procurement of technological solutions.