Transport minister Claire Perry has addressed an innovative seminar on the subject of keeping women safe when using public transport.

The Women’s Safety on Transport seminar included over 60 representatives from charities, campaign groups and other organisations.

The UK is a signatory of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which means it is committed to ending gender inequality.

Ms Perry said: “I am determined to do everything I can to make transport safer for women. That’s why my department, along with the British Transport Police, has funded a research project to find out what measures work on the ground, both here in the UK and internationally.”

The completed research is due to be presented at another seminar later this year.

She drew attention to the success of Project Guardian, which has involved the Department for Transport, the British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police working together in a drive to increase the reporting rate of sexual assaults on public transport by 20 per cent.