Survey shows women feel unsafe at night in city

More than two in three women feel unsafe at night on the streets of a Lancashire city centre, a survey has revealed.

The survey, carried out on behalf of the Lancashire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) Clive Grunshaw, found the bus station in Preston is the place they believe they are most at risk.

The results showed a third of women in Preston have felt "frequently unsafe in public spaces" over the past year.

A total of 431 women from the Preston area responded to the county-wide exercise, which was designed to better understand both the reality and perception of violence against women and girls.

The Preston results - shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) – found 68% of females felt unsafe after dark in Preston city centre - while 45% had the same concern during daylight hours.

Parks and open spaces were considered problematic places for 72% of Preston women at night – and 38% during the day.

However, the most feared place of all after sunset was the city's bus station with 73% of respondents saying they felt unsafe using the interchange at night, and 44% were equally concerned even in the daytime.

There was also a belief among 72% of survey participants that bystanders would not intervene to help a woman who found themselves in trouble, if they were harassed in a public place.

Limited or non-existent CCTV, poor lighting, a lack of visible policing and anti-social behaviour were all major contributors to how vulnerable women felt while simply going about their business.

Responding to the findings, Preston City Council said it was taking action to improve women's experience of being out in the city, and the confidence they could feel in their own safety.

The authority highlighted plans to install 14 new CCTV cameras on key routes within the city centre, along with the recent refurbishment and upgrading of all the existing cameras that are monitored around the clock.

There is also live monitoring of a camera which covers the Lancashire County Council-operated bus station.

CCTV has been extended to two of the city's parks, while another is in line for a camera rollout.

Improvements to lighting are also being made with additional lights being placed on main streets in the city centre.

Street safety patrols carried out by council staff charged with helping tackle anti-social behaviour - often jointly undertaken with Preston's Neighbourhood Policing Team - target potential problem spots, while regular checks are made on licensed premises.

The city centre has, since last year, also been covered by a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).

The council's cabinet member for communities and social justice, Peter Kelly, said the commissioner's survey had "laid bare some staggering statistics" and highlighted "how important it is that we make our city safe for everyone".

He added: "The council is involved in some fantastic collaborative work across the city to tackle some of the key issues that impact on the safety of our residents."

The LDRS approached the PCC for further comment on the survey results.

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