More than a third of private hire vehicle users in Lancashire feel unsafe when using them, according to new research from the University of Central Lancashire.

Research carried out in collaboration with Chorley Taxi Association has found more than 200 PHV users who took part in the anonymous survey reported feeling unsafe when using PHVs in the county.

The driver asking personal questions was top of the complaint list, with nearly half of the recipients suggesting that reason. That was followed at 35% by the driver speaking a different language while nearly 31% said listening to the driver’s phone conversation to someone via speakerphone made them feel unsafe.

Driving style, being a single passenger and the driver making inappropriate comments during or after the journey were also reasons made by just under a third of recipients who stated they felt unsafe.

The majority of the respondents to the survey were women aged between 26 and 40.

Professor Joanne Westwood, from the University’s Connect Centre for International Research on Interpersonal Violence and Harm, ran the survey with Dr Helen Richardson Foster.

Professor Westwood said: “The research findings are very interesting and even more so because, as far as we know, this is one of the first times that taxi passengers have been asked about their feelings of safety.

“The research has raised many more questions but to have a third of all participants state they felt unsafe is worrying because taxis are a key cog in our transport system and sometimes they are the only transport option for many people.

“What is also interesting is that Lancashire is populated with diverse communities with different ethnicities and who speak many languages, so it is unclear why this makes respondents, who came from a range of ethnic groups, feel unsafe.”

Uber or rideshare vehicles were not included in this research, which took place over a one-month period last November.

Shaz Malik, Chair of the Chorley Taxi Association, collaborated on the research to confirm their anecdotal knowledge.

Mr Malik, the owner of Four Sixes’ Taxis in Chorley, commented: “Every journey in a taxi is a moment of trust especially for women, who too often carry an invisible burden of vigilance when moving through public spaces.

“This research reminds us that safety is not just about physical protection, it is about dignity, respect and the ethical duty we owe to one another as human beings.

“For the Chorley Taxi Association, this is a moment to listen, to learn and to lead. We must ensure that no woman ever feels unheard, unsafe, or unwelcome in a space that should offer peace of mind.

“True public service demands moral courage, and that is the path we are committed to walking.”

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