High volumes of holiday foot traffic, fewer hours of daylight and “a lot of desperate people” are spurring a D.C. Council member to move an emergency bill Tuesday that would establish enhanced-penalty safety zones around all District transit stops.

Ward 5 Councilman Harry Thomas Jr. said Monday that his legislation deserved emergency consideration — with no public hearing — because “people are being preyed upon.” D.C. residents, he said, “need to feel a little safer” and deserved “safe passage in our neighborhoods.”