Making Our Trains and Buses Safe for Everyone: The Lib Dem Plan

​Everyone should feel safe when they catch the bus to school or take the train to visit family. But lately, things have been getting tougher on our public transport.

​New figures show that racial hate crimes on public transport rose from 2,827 cases in 2019-20 to 3,258 in 2024-25. This means more people are being picked on just because of where they are from or what they believe.

At the same time, the police who look after our railways have had their budgets cut by the government, meaning there are fewer officers around to keep us safe.

​A Message from Josh Babarinde MP
​Josh Babarinde, the Liberal Democrat MP for Eastbourne, has been working hard to fix this. He even had to help stop a scary situation on a train himself last year!

​"Too often, passengers, station staff, on-board supervisors and bus drivers are being asked to manage situations and enforce rules themselves, which is neither fair nor safe." — Josh Babarinde MP. 

​Josh has been busy working with the British Transport Police and local officers to make sure they are watching out for passengers. He is also working with the train companies to tackle the "root causes" of bad behaviour—which means finding out why people act out and stopping it before it starts.

"I’ve raised this issue in Parliament, calling on the Government to take stronger action to protect passengers and frontline transport workers."   — Josh Babarinde MP. 

​Standing Up Against Hate
​It’s not just about "naughty" behaviour; it’s about making sure nobody is bullied for their religion or the colour of their skin.
​Islamophobia is rising: Almost 40% of religious hate crimes in 2024 targeted Muslims.

​The "Iceberg" Effect: Experts say many people don't report these crimes, so the real numbers might be even higher.

​The Liberal Democrats believe this is wrong.

 Marie Goldman, the Lib Dem spokesperson for Women and Equalities, said:
​"No one should have to live in fear simply because of who they are."

​The Liberal Democrat Plan to Fix It
​Liberal Democrats don't just point out problems; we have a plan to fix them! The Liberal Democrats want to:

​Bring Back Community Police: The Liberal Democrats want more police officers walking the streets and riding on trains so that criminals think twice before acting.

​Fairer Laws:The Liberal Democrats want to change the law so that hate crimes against disabled people and LGBTQ+ people are treated just as seriously as other hate crimes.

​Hold Social Media Companies Accountable: A lot of hate starts online. The Liberal Democrats want people like Elon Musk to do a better job of clearing "vile content" off their websites.

​As a party, The Liberal Democrats are committed to building a country that is fair, equal, and inclusive for all. Whether you are catching the bus to school or heading to the shops, you deserve to feel safe.
Learn more about Josh Babarinde MPs work:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1N6ngCGSSZ/ 

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