Liverpool will receive £270,000 to improve safety on its transport network.
The grant secured by Merseyside’s Police Commissioner will be invested in safeguarding women using public transport across the Liverpool City Region.
A public survey showed 54% of women felt unsafe using public transport in Merseyside at night and almost 42% had concerns about using it in the day.
The new funding will be used to improve CCTV coverage particularly at city centre bus stations, create new ‘help points’ connected to the CityWatch control room and better links with emergency services.
Travel centres at each of the bus stations will also become ‘safe spaces’ for anyone who feels vulnerable.
Bus drivers, frontline bus station staff and taxi drivers will receive ‘bystander training’ to better understand and know how to prevent sexual violence.
Additionally, the money will be spent on launching a text messaging service which can be used to report concerns and help to identify offenders.
It will also fund a new educational resource for up to 70 schools across Liverpool raising awareness of sexual harassment and misogyny.
Emily Spurrell, Merseyside’s Police Commissioner, said: “With this funding we will be able to put some significant, long-term improvements in place relatively quickly that I hope will make a genuine difference.
“We want women to feel safe using the transport network and ensure if any incident does occur that causes them concern that they can report it quickly and easily and there is someone on hand who is trained to respond effectively.
“My thanks go to all the partners who have worked to put this bid together. Our aim must be to ensure everyone can feel confident travelling in and out of our city centre.
“While this won’t solve the fundamental issue of male violence against women and girls, I hope this major new investment will help women to be safer and feel safer.”
Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, added: “The murder of Sarah Everard sent shockwaves throughout the country and sparked an important national debate about the safety of women and girls in public places.
“Whether using public transport at night, going out on a run or just walking home – too often women feel they are unable to do things men take for granted due to the risk to their safety.
“In this country there is an epidemic of violence against women, with men the main perpetrators.
“Two women a week are killed by their partners, one in four experience domestic abuse, and countless women feel unsafe simply walking down the street.
“I’ll be working with the Merseyside Police, the PCC and others to make public transport – and our streets – the safest possible place for women.”