Uncertainty about when the next service is due, how much it costs and whether concessionary fares apply, and where the next bus or train goes from, can act as a deterrent and create a feeling of vulnerability. Provision of a clean and secure waiting environment is important to passengers, particularly women. While comfort is of course also important, the provider has to balance the needs of the legitimate passenger against the risks of misuse by others. A waiting shelter that becomes an attractive venue for young people to meet, or seats that can be lain across by drunks, are not going to provide a secure environment for the lone woman passenger. Facilities which attract other users, such as retail outlets, may provide a sense of business and security.
Clean toilets are important, especially for women with small children.
Having a public telephone in working order can be reassuring for a woman who feels alone and vulnerable, or in the event of a service delay for any passenger who knows that they are expected at a pre-arranged time. Greater Manchester PTE has a programme of bus station refurbishment and development of new bus stations and interchanges. Passenger safety and security are given a high priority, and the programme includes improved lighting, the introduction of CCTV, and an increased staff presence. Night services are grouped at specific stops within bus stations to facilitate surveillance and avoid lone passengers feeling isolated and vulnerable. The Secure Stations Scheme is a national accreditation scheme whereby rail operators can receive an award for a station which achieves a standard of security.