Personal safety incidents: research with transport users
What is the research about?
Personal safety on public transport is a growing concern, particularly in relation to violence against women and girls (VAWG) and anti-social behaviour (ASB).
This study is being carried out to explore people’s experiences of incidents or behaviours which make people feel unsafe on public transport, and why people choose to report or not report these experiences.
Who is carrying out the research?
The DfT has commissioned the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), an independent research organisation, to carry out this research. NatCen is the UK’s largest independent social research agency. For 50 years, we have been working with charities and government to find out what people really think about the big issues. NatCen is independent of all government departments and political parties.
Why have I been contacted about the research?
You may have received an email from us to let you know about the research and that we may be in touch. Records show that you recently took part in our survey about personal safety on transport. The DfT want to learn more about your experiences with incidents, and why people choose to report or not report these experiences.
You may receive a follow up call from NatCen to check if you are interested in taking part in the research and to schedule an interview. We will call from a number beginning with 01277. If you need us to contact you in another way, please let us know by email at transportsafety@natcen.ac.uk. Unfortunately, we are unable to include all of those initially selected.
Why take part?
By taking part, you will join other research participants in sharing your views on safety on public transport, the current reporting system and how it can be improved, informing DfT’s future policy-making. As a thank you for taking part, you will receive a £40 shopping voucher that you can spend in many high street shops.
What will it involve?
You may be invited to take part in an interview with a NatCen researcher. Interviews will last up to 60 minutes and will take place between May and July 2026. These will take place by telephone or online video call at a time chosen by you. In-person interviews can be arranged at your request.
During the interview we will:
- Ask about your general experiences with public transport.
- If you feel comfortable sharing, ask about your personal experience with safety incidents on public transport. We might also refer to any answers you gave in the survey.
- If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your personal experience, we will ask you general questions about safety incidents on public transport and in other contexts.
- Ask about reporting safety incidents.
- Ask your recommendations for how reporting incidents could be improved.
There are no right or wrong answers, and you do not need to prepare anything in advance, we just want to hear about your views and experiences.
With your consent, we will audio record the interview. Recordings will be stored securely and deleted at the end of the project. For further information on how we will use your data, please see the privacy notice.
Do I have to take part?
Taking part is completely voluntary. If you agree to attend an interview, you can withdraw at any time, and you do not have to give a reason. You may also choose not to answer any of the questions you do not wish to discuss. After completing an interview, you can withdraw any time up until analysis of the data.
Please contact NatCen either by phone on 0800 783 5890 or by email at Transportsafety@natcen.ac.uk if you would prefer not to be contacted again for this research. In both instances, please state your name, the project number P20848, and the reference number from our email or text. Phone lines are open 9am until 8pm Monday to Thursday, 9am until 5pm on Friday, and 10am until 3pm on Saturday. If you are receiving benefits, your decision whether to take part will not affect your benefits, either now or at any time in the future.
Can I have special arrangements?
Yes. When we contact you to schedule the interview, we will ask if you require special arrangements. This includes, for example, if you want to take regular breaks, see a list of the topics to be discussed beforehand, have someone with you during the interview or to use live closed captioning (i.e. subtitles) to help you follow the discussion.
Our researchers will be aware of your requirements beforehand. However, we will also ask you at the start of the interview whether there is anything else you need. If there is anything else we can do to help you participate, please let us know as soon as possible.
What will happen to the information I give?
Everything you say in the interview will remain anonymous in line with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). This means we will not tell anyone that you have taken part in the study or what you specifically have said.
The only exception is if you talk about something which we believe puts you or another person at significant risk of harm. In that case, we will have to seek advice from senior colleagues at our workplace who are specially trained. They will decide on the next steps, which could include contacting the relevant authorities or taking no action. We will always try to discuss this with you first.
With your permission, we will audio-record the interview so that nothing you say is forgotten. The recording will be stored securely and will be destroyed 6 months after the research is complete. We will use the information from the interviews to write a report for DfT. It will not be possible to identify any individuals in the report.
For more information on how your data will be used, visit the privacy notice.
Contact us
You can also contact NatCen’s research team to ask any questions about the study. Please contact us on Transportsafety@natcen.ac.uk or call us for free on 0808 168 1356