This event represents the third act of a series of meetings jointly organized by the EU Committee of UITP and ASSTRA. In the previous workshops (in Perugia in 2005 and in Venice in 2006), the issue of communication towards the institutions first and then towards the youngest were discussed, stressing that local public transport needs to rethink itself to become a real alternative to private modes and a priority in the political agendas at local, national and European level.

The 2007 event, instead, intends to speak about communication as a tool to tackle micro-criminality and vandalism afflicting public transport networks.  Personal and property security is in fact a shared concern for public transport operators and authorities. Disorders and crimes have strong impacts on the sector in terms of losses in passengers and rising costs.  It is then extremely important to formulate proper solutions based on the establishment of strong partnership where all those able to play a role in terms of prevention, capacity of action and repression are involved.

The aim of the workshop will be investigating the measures, strategies and synergies developed in the public transport sector that have proved particularly effective in reducing criminal damages and improving the public’s perception of public transport networks and services. The main focus will be placed on awareness and communication campaigns developed to gain the public’s support and endorsement. However, to assure a comprehensive approach to such a complex topic, also actions more centred on the exploitation of technological devices, the design of the infrastructures and the development of the role of staff will be discussed.

The working sessions will be closed by the round table “Privacy and security: in medio stat virtus” where, within the framework of the right to mobility, the difficult balance between privacy and need for security will be debated.