Two-thirds of young women feel unsafe on public transport in Limburg

Young women feel significantly less safe than other groups when using public transport in Limburg. About two-thirds of women aged 16 to 29 regularly feel unsafe at stations and bus stops after 7 p.m., according to research commissioned by the province of Limburg and conducted by the consultancy firm Goudappel. The study included a survey of more than 2,100 people.

People particularly feel unsafe around intercity stations in Limburg. According to the researchers, this is partly because these locations attract more travelers and a wider variety of people. “There are more interactions here, including those that can be perceived as disruptive or unsafe.”

About one in three young women believes there is a high chance they will encounter unwanted behavior on public transport. A quarter of all passengers consider it likely that they will experience verbal aggression, such as insults, or behavior like harassment.

“It is unacceptable that people, and especially young women, so often feel unsafe during their journeys,” said Deputy Jasper Kuntzelaers (PvdA). “Everyone should be able to use public transport in Limburg with peace of mind.” He added that perpetrators of disruptive or harassing behavior “must know that their actions will not be tolerated.”

The province said that from 2026, additional enforcement officers will be deployed on public transport and that a pilot project with an emergency number is being developed in cooperation with Arriva.

The issue of safety in Limburg is not a new one. In July, a representative survey of more than 2,100 Limburg residents by Hart van Nederland found that no less than 80 percent feel unsafe on the streets after sunset; among women, that figure rose to 86 percent. This underlines that the sense of insecurity extends beyond public transportation.