Catherine Sundling

A vulnerable but also heterogeneous group in public transport is made up of travellers with disabilities. Based on a case study of municipalities in southern Sweden, this chapter characterises the victimisation and perceived safety among train travellers with disabilities, namely asthma/allergies, depression/anxiety, and/or reduced mobility (N = 3,374). Results show that people with these disabilities are more likely to be victimised in transit than those with no disability and that they feel more unsafe, especially if they had been previously victimised. According to participants with disabilities, key improvements would include more staff, greater accessibility of staff, a more substantial police presence, and enhanced CCTV coverage. Including disability groups in planning is essential to make public transportation safer and more inclusive.

Queer individuals, representing LGBTQI+ and gender-nonconforming individuals, face higher levels of discrimination, violence, and crime worldwide compared to the general population. This chapter explores the transit safety of LGBTQI+ individuals in a selection of municipalities in southern Sweden. We discuss victimisation and safety perceptions of these based on 3,407 survey responses, 163 (about 5%) of which identified as LGBTQI+, non-binary, or other. The findings underscore that LGBTQI+ individuals, and particularly gender-nonconforming women, face distinct safety concerns that often stem from societal biases, inadequate infrastructure, and hostile transit environments. Public spaces, including transit systems, are revealed as exclusionary for many within the LGBTQI+ community, perpetuating feelings of fear and insecurity. These experiences highlight broader issues of inequality in access to safe, inclusive public spaces and the need to address systemic barriers. By presenting these insights, the chapter identifies gaps in the current transit safety landscape and provides a platform for discussing actionable strategies to foster inclusivity and equity in public transit systems. The chapter concludes with a summary of key lessons from this study. This chapter offers evidence-based recommendations to improve transit safety for LGBTQI+ individuals, emphasising the importance of creating safer, more inclusive public spaces for all.

Stations are more than just transportation hubs; they are places of convergence, settings that create both opportunities and challenges for safety. As cities grow, the design, management, and social dynamics of stations assume central importance when it comes to ensuring the well-being of those who use them. However, not all areas experience such growth, and some transport nodes may become isolated spots with low passenger volumes, which can impact safety conditions, both in terms of victimisation and safety perceptions. This chapter reviews the recent literature on transit safety in varied contexts, focusing on stations as key transit nodes. Topics of interest include victimisation and its determinants and impacts, situationally risky conditions for crime, examples of interventions, and the possible role of technology in ensuring safety in transit environments. Finally, the chapter also examines how victimisation and safety perceptions fluctuate over time and how these variations differ across various traveller groups.

This chapter explores the temporal dimension of victimisation and safety perceptions in transit environments, analysing key factors across different timeframes: daily variations (day and night), differences between weekends and weekdays, and seasonal patterns. Drawing on police statistics and survey data from 4,893 participants across 28 municipalities, the analysis examines how different fears, times of day, and types of victimisation interact to shape safety perceptions. Findings show that most crimes occur in the evening, with offence types varying according to the time of day. Crime rates are higher at weekends, while seasonal patterns show only minor differences overall but some variation is found when analysed according to crime type. Safety perceptions also shift significantly, with the lack of safety peaking at night. Previous victimisation is the strongest predictor of daytime fear. Understanding these temporal dynamics is essential for addressing the safety concerns of transit users both at stations and along their routes, making these places more accessible and sustainable.

We begin this chapter by presenting and critically looking back at the key findings from the Swedish case study, examining patterns of victimisation and safety perceptions, the influence of the station’s urban–rural contexts on people's safety perceptions, temporal variations in transit safety, and the specific safety needs of different traveller groups. We then propose a series of recommendations as 'leverage points' to enhance transit safety while identifying the barriers hindering their implementation. Finally, we discuss these challenges and how they can create opportunities for action by adopting a systems-thinking perspetive. The Swedish example calls for a comprehensive, evidence-based, user-engaged approach to improve transit safety–an approach that can be adapted, improved and rethought to include the specific contexts of other countries.

Public transportation is essential for building a sustainable society, with high train and bus ridership often reflecting good accessibility, reliability, and transit safety. However, some people still use other means of transportation–who are they, and what motivates their choices? This chapter investigates the profile of non-train travellers compared with those of train users to better understand why they are not using trains. This is a small sample study with 91 answers from a survey applied to 28 municipalities in Sweden along three railway lines collected in 2022. Our findings show that non-users tend to be older than the rest of travellers, declare having one or more disabilities, are less educated, have less trust in the police, and feel more unsafe while travelling with others. Non-train travellers differentiate themselves from travellers by indicating the need for more ticket information (how and where to buy) at the station and a wish for fewer transfers during the journey. Having more staff and other personnel in the station is highly recommended by both users and non-users to improve safety. Still, more staff at the station is particularly recommended by train users. The chapter finishes by making suggestions for improving rail-bound transportation to attract non-train travellers in Sweden and expanding some of these reflections to other contexts.

Few studies have addressed the issue of allergies when travelling on trains from the user’s perspective. This chapter helps address this gap by presenting the findings of a small sample study on the perceived safety of asthmatic and allergic individuals. A questionnaire was sent to members of the Swedish Asthma and Allergy Association in the spring of 2022 (N = 66). Although most respondents felt safe during their trip, 88% declared feeling afraid of allergens onboard the train (e.g. nuts and peanuts, perfumes, and fur-bearing animals) when they were asked more specifically. Allergens were identified as the most frightening factor, imposing changes in individuals’ travel behaviour. The most common precaution to counteract poor safety was avoiding contact with certain people. Clearly designated areas without animals and perfumes, staff encouraged not to wear perfume, and accessible staff are commonly requested improvements for more accessible travelling.

This chapter examines the historical development, organisational structures, and management of safety issues within European railway systems, focusing on Sweden, the Netherlands, and Denmark. It draws on 14 semi-structured interviews with safety experts, gathering insights into their knowledge and perspectives on the organisation of railway systems and station preparedness for safety-related concerns. Key challenges identified include the ongoing evolution of threats and the critical role of human presence in ensuring passenger safety. Interviewees also emphasised technological and organisational obstacles, highlighting the need to address different user groups’ diverse safety requirements when planning future stations’ safety conditions.

In this chapter, we summarise the findings from the analyses presented in the preceding chapters to highlight the need for further knowledge in this area and forward-thinking policies at both national and local level. The results are grouped into the research agenda, changes to the design of the transit environment of cities and changes to planning and policy. Our aim is for this chapter to serve as a guide for researchers calling for interdisciplinary collaborations and emphasising the role of sustainable transport in supporting broader sustainability and development goals.

A safe public transportation system is essential for a sustainable future. Drawing on examples from Sweden and beyond, this chapter explores how future railway station designs are being planned to enhance accessibility and safety. We apply foresight strategies to anticipate future trends, external change drivers, opportunities, and risks. Considering diverse transit users, this discussion is intended to set the foundation for sustainable urban mobility in different contexts. These efforts align with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), by promoting safer, more inclusive public transport environments.