Research shows 26 per cent of Victorians feel unsafe catching PT at night

More than a quarter of Victorians feel unsafe catching public transport at night, more than any other state.

Protective Services Officers patrol Melbourne’s public transport system.

Victorians are more concerned about catching public transport at night than any other state, with more than a quarter of people saying they felt unsafe after dark.

New research from the Productivity Commission’s annual Report on Government Services shows that the share of people in the state who do not feel safe using the network at night has risen to 26 per cent in 2019-20.

The national average for for the same figure was 20.8 per cent.

Crime statistics show there were 12,911 recorded offences on public transport for the 12 months to September in 2020.

Public Transport Users Association spokesman Daniel Bowen said the network was secure but that it was important Victorians feelt like their safety was being cared for.

It comes after Infrastructure Victoria last week flagged a sluggish return to public transport and predicted a traffic nightmare if more was not done to get people back on to trains, trams and buses.

“While the public transport system is very safe, it’s vital that passengers also feel safe,” Mr Bowen said.

“The presence of staff makes a big difference to the way people feel about any public space. “That doesn’t necessarily mean PSOs at every station and on every vehicle – even a more consistent presence from regular public transport staff around the system will help.

“Ultimately a busy system is also a safe system.

“The government will need to ensure people are confident to get back onto public transport as Melbourne comes back to normal.”

In New South Wales, the share of people who felt unsafe on public transport was at 18.9 per cent.

Opposition public transport spokesman David Davis said perceptions of safety on the network had deteriorated over the last five years.

“Victorian public transport commuters are entitled to feel safe, but too many don’t feel secure of our transport system,” he said.

“How will we ever maximise the usage of public transport if commuters don’t feel safe?”

A spokeswoman said the government was regularly upgrading safety features such as CCTV cameras, emergency assistance buttons and enhanced lighting at stations.

“Getting Victorians where they need to go safely is our top priority – and we want to assure the community that our public transport network is safe and secure, with support always nearby if it’s needed,” she said.

“Police and PSOs are always patrolling our network – and our transport operators and customer service staff work at stations and on vehicles to help keep Victorians safe as they travel.”