St Helens Council’s safe transport home project

St Helens Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Merseyside, Emily Spurrell, undertook research to understand the views of women when out in the night-time economy. The research found that 14 per cent of respondents reported feeling unsafe and 21 per cent slightly unsafe in the night-time economy. The council was keen to address these findings however given funding challenges, there were limited resources available to try and tackle this problem. 

The council, in collaboration with the PCC, bid into the fifth round of the Government's Safer Streets Fund to fund projects designed to make women safer in the night-time economy. The bid was successful and £200,000 of funding was awarded to St Helens. The funding will be used to increase the safety of women as they travel at night, particularly around taxi ranks. The safe transport home project will see improved lighting installed at taxi ranks, with wardens operating at key times. As part of the initiative, the council will also offer a grant programme to support taxis to install CCTV to increase feelings of safety among women. Training will also be provided to people working in the night-time economy to support employees to provide safer locations for women. 

The project was informed by the work of the St Helens Night Time Economy Forum - with representatives from the council and across the sector working together with partners including Merseyside Police during 2023 to improve the offer and safety in St Helens town centre. 

The council hopes this funding will keep women safe in the night-time economy, as well as supporting the night-time economy by boosting footfall. It will also benefit taxi drivers who will be able to work in safer conditions.  

This builds on work which the council has recently undertaken to improve St Helens town centre, such as being awarded and subsequently maintaining Purple Flag status. 

The council is always looking for ways to improve the safety of women and girls and will continue to look into innovative ways of funding initiatives to support the council’s ambitions to have a safe and thriving night-time economy in St Helens.