New figures reveal that reported assaults on Great Britain’s railway network have surged to a record high, with almost 25,000 incidents logged over the past year. The data, released by the Office of Rail and Road, indicates a 20% increase in violence, underscoring growing safety concerns for both transport workers and commuters.
Rail employees describe a workplace where danger is now routine. One staff member recalled a recent head-butting incident involving their manager, noting that violent confrontations occur frequently enough that they are often the first assumption when a train is halted. While the official statistics include verbal abuse and threats alongside physical assaults, nearly 2,500 of these incidents involved direct physical attacks on workers—an average of roughly seven per day.
Unions such as the RMT and TSSA have condemned the statistics as horrifying yet predictable. They point to a significant decline in British Transport Police (BTP) presence, with officer numbers dropping by more than 10% between 2024 and 2026. In response to the hostile environment, many rail staff now wear body cameras, though workers express sadness that such measures have become necessary.
“The threats, the abuse, the violence we see is off the scale,” said Dave, a rail worker with two decades of experience in southwest England. He highlighted that substance abuse and untreated mental health issues contribute to the problem, noting that unlike on the street, passengers on trains have nowhere to escape aggressive behavior.
The human cost of this rise in violence is illustrated by harrowing accounts from employees and passengers. Steve, a train guard in northern England, was punched in the head by a passenger and woke up on the platform. He stated that while verbal abuse is a daily occurrence, the severity has worsened since the pandemic. Infrastructure workers are also targeted; Liam, a contractor in Somerset, reported being spat at and sworn at by individuals who blame them for operational delays.
Passenger safety is equally compromised. Last year, assaults on passengers rose by 36%, a figure partly attributed to improved reporting mechanisms such as discreet text messaging to police. However, many victims remain reluctant to come forward.
Emily, 24, described being harassed and sexually assaulted by a stranger on a late-night train between Glasgow and Edinburgh. Despite the severity of the incident, she chose not to report it, citing fear and the lack of intervention from other passengers. “I never used to think twice about getting on a train by myself at night and now I’m much more nervous,” she said.
Edward, a trans man, recounted being subjected to homophobic abuse on a crowded train from Aberystwyth. After a rail worker intervened, he left the journey feeling “tearful, angry and scared” and decided against reporting the crime due to dissatisfaction with past police responses.
Legal consequences for perpetrators remain rare. Sam, a passenger, was pushed, shoved, and sexually assaulted by a group of men on a train from London last year. Although BTP officers took a statement, the investigation was dropped because the assailants could not be identified. The experience has severely impacted her willingness to use public transport.
Kim McGuinness, mayor for the north-east, emphasized the importance of ensuring women feel safe, stating that if half the population avoids public transport due to fear, the system is failing. She called for increased staffing, lighting, and CCTV, alongside a cultural shift where reporting leads to action.
In response to the crisis, the Department for Transport has announced a £63 million funding increase for British Transport Police by 2028-29. This investment will recruit more than 200 additional officers and enhance surveillance infrastructure. A new cadre of officers will specialize in tackling violence against women and girls.
BTP Assistant Chief Constable Ian Drummond-Smith affirmed that the force will not tolerate violence, noting that body-worn cameras help secure justice in approximately 85% of recorded incidents. He urged witnesses to report abuse via text to 61016 or by calling 999 in emergencies.
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