Luxembourg to Step Up Safety Efforts as Public Transport Incidents Rise 15% in 2024

On Thursday 24 July 2025, Luxembourg's Minister for Mobility and Public Works, Yuriko Backes, participated in her second meeting of the Public Transport Safety Steering Committee bringing together key stakeholders, including public transport network operators, the Grand Ducal Police and trade unions.

The Ministry of Mobility and Public Works presented safety statistics for 2024, noting a 15% increase in reported incidents (across all modes of transport and all types of assaults) compared to 2023. One-third of these incidents were related to inappropriate behaviour.

In the rail sector (trains and stations), reported incidents increased by 11.5%, reaching a total of 2,741. During the same period, passenger numbers rose by 8.98%. Physical attacks against public transport staff on trains and at stations also increased, particularly in terms of threats, spitting and non-injurious blows. Attacks against third parties (including insults, spitting, threats involving objects and both psychological and sexual harassment) on trains and at stations also rose.

The same observation was made regarding attacks (both physical and verbal) on staff and third parties on buses and trams.

The meeting also addressed the ongoing digitalisation of the "Security Incident Report" (Constat Incident Sûreté - CIS) system and safety cabins on RGTR buses. Existing systems, such as the CIS tool, which simplifies the reporting of incidents that compromise the safety of drivers and passengers, as well as safety cabins on RGTR and TICE buses, were analysed over the past year.

There were several discussions on the CIS tool with bus companies to leverage their experience, optimise existing processes and make the tools more user-friendly. Based on feedback, a second improved version is planned for release in 2026.

The installation of protective partitions on buses has progressed, with 44.4% of the RGTR bus fleet equipped by 1 July 2025 - an increase of 24.4% or 132 additional buses over one year. Twelve RGTR and school bus lines are now fully equipped. Within the CFL fleet, 58 out of 83 buses (70%) now feature these safety cabins.

Minister Backes highlighted the introduction of Bill 8335 on security, safety, order and video surveillance in public transportation. She presented this bill to the Parliamentary Committee for Mobility and Public Works on Thursday 17 July 2025.

The bill includes various new measures, complementing those already in place and aimed at enhancing security.

During the committee meeting, various parliamentary amendments were adopted immediately, allowing them to be submitted for a second opinion to the Council of State. The Council of State's approval of the amendments will then allow the bill to be presented for a vote in the plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies (parliament).

Minister Backes stated: "The bill addresses one of my major concerns: ensuring maximum safety for customers and staff on all public transportation systems. All measures are aimed at both prevention and deterrence, as well as the detection and identification of malicious acts. The presence of video surveillance also and above all aims to reassure customers and staff by guaranteeing them safe and peaceful travel."

Given the reported correlation between the quality of service provided and the experience of customers and staff in terms of safety, the ministry said it was important to ensure transportation that meets their expectations and needs. As such, in close consultation with the stakeholders, measures have been adopted relating to: rules of use and behaviour; administrative sanctions and the related administrative procedure; maintaining order by service agents and authorised service agents; criminal sanctions and fines; video surveillance and the protection of personal data.

Minister Backes outlined the purpose of video surveillance with a specific framework, namely to: secure access to public transportation; ensure the safety of people and protect property; detect and identify dangerous behaviour likely to cause accidents and incidents; enable the competent authorities and operators to take appropriate and necessary measures in the event of accidents and incidents; prevent, record and remediate damage to infrastructure, facilities and public transportation.

The application for the installation of video surveillance systems - by installing cameras on board and outside public transportation, as well as in public transportation infrastructure on platforms, stops and stations - by operators is subject to prior authorisation issued by the minister. The ministry noted that the operators implementing the processing operations are data controllers in their respective fields within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data.

To counteract the rise in incidents, the Ministry of Mobility and Public Works pledged to continue its awareness campaigns aimed at public transport customers, together with stakeholders in the sector (including public transport network operators).

Minister Backes underlined the importance of clear and regular messages regarding security rules and respectful behaviour. These customer awareness campaigns go hand in hand with information and training activities for staff. Campaigns launched since 2023 will be maintained by setting aside a fixed annual day for this purpose (awareness day on 3 May), focusing on a specific theme.