Safety as a Factor for Mobility – A Look Back at the Public Transport Safety Congress NRW 2025

The mobility transition will only succeed if people use buses and trains – and that only if they feel safe. Karin Paulsmeyer (head of the State Initiative Fokus Bahn NRW) called in her opening speech for a joint effort by public transport operators, the state and civil society – not least in order to build trust. Following her credo was Kilian Schäfer, head of the NRW Safety Competence Center (located at VRR), who explicitly described safety as a quality feature: If everything runs smoothly operationally, but passengers do not feel safe, the success is limited.

From the perspective of the Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Transport NRW (MUNV NRW), Udo Sieverding emphasized: If people switch to cars out of fear of insecurity, that jeopardizes the central climate and mobility goals. NRW has already established solid safety structures, and the congress should serve to share proven elements with other countries.

Between Technology and People – Thematic Blocks of the Congress

As the day progressed, it quickly became clear that the topic of security is multi-layered. In addition to traditional crime prevention, building design, lighting, staff presence, and subjective perception were also on the agenda.

Uniformed personnel and presence were a recurring theme. Police President Markus Röhrl emphasized that passengers feel particularly safe when they see recognizable, well-trained personnel. The speakers noted that it is not enough to deploy forces – they must be professionally prepared and also have support in demanding situations. The leadership level in particular must be vigilant to protect employees and provide them with support.

Technology alone is not enough

Parallel to that, modern technology for prevention and surveillance moved into focus. In SPNV contracts today, the use of video surveillance is often mandated, not only to document incidents but to act preventively. The challenge, however, lies in balancing with data protection requirements. Britta Zur, managing director of DB Sicherheit, stressed that critical infrastructure cannot be protected by people alone – technology is indispensable.

Mobility expert Katja Diehl reminded in her keynote that safety goes beyond statistics. Aspects such as respect in public spaces, accessibility for vulnerable groups, emergency call systems, and empathetic handling also played an equally important role.

A confident demeanor of staff enhances passengers' sense of safety

In a panel discussion on perceived safety, participants warned against neglecting passengers' sense of safety. What objectively unobtrusive elements appear (for example, poor lighting or limited visibility inside a vehicle) can be perceived subjectively as insecurity—and deter potential users. The demand was added that staff not only be trained but also present themselves consistently—a confident demeanor would strengthen the sense of safety.

Another focus was on the everyday life of staff in public transport. In a roundtable discussion with fellow passengers, ticket inspectors, and security personnel, they described how stressful conflict situations with passengers can be—and how well-prepared de-escalation strategies help. Oliver Wittke (VRR) expressed gratitude for the open insights and emphasized that technology, cameras, and systems can help, but cannot replace the presence of people in direct contact.