A new council-led survey has highlighted that some young people in Barnsley feel unsafe at the town’s transport interchange.
The Let’s Hear Your Voice questionnaire, led by Barnsley Public Health, gathered anonymous responses from 1,691 pupils across 44 schools, covering Year 4 through to post-16 students.
Among Year 10 girls, 46.8% said they felt unsafe at Barnsley Interchange, and 41.1% in the town centre. These figures were lower among younger pupils, with 25.6% of Year 6 and 21% of Year 8 respondents reporting similar concerns. Post-16 girls expressed fewer worries, with 15.4% feeling unsafe at the interchange and 7.7% in town.
The survey also found that 30% of pupils worry often, while 54% worry sometimes—mainly about schoolwork, exams, and peer relationships. Bullying was another concern, with 13% experiencing it regularly and over a third occasionally, mostly in school.
Despite increased awareness of active travel, most pupils still travel by car, and walking rates among younger pupils have slightly declined since 2022. While sports and cultural activity engagement remains strong, many preferred non-physical hobbies.
A South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority spokesperson said:
“We’re committed to making all interchanges feel safe. At Barnsley Interchange, we’ve reduced anti-social behaviour through improved CCTV, enhanced public address systems, increased patrols, and dedicated staff who respond to issues on site.”
Barnsley’s Health and Wellbeing Board will consider the full findings later this week.
