London Underground assaults rise 20% to over 5,500
New figures reveal a significant increase in passenger and public assaults on the Tube network over the last year.
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More than 5,500 assaults were reported on the London Underground network in the year to March 2026, a 20 percent increase on the previous year. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) recorded 5,534 incidents involving passengers and members of the public on the Tube during this period.
Wider Railway Trends
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These figures reflect a broader pattern of increasing violence across Britain's railways. Mainline passenger assaults reached a record 13,464 incidents between April 2025 and March 2026, marking a 36 percent rise from the year before. This is the highest number recorded by the ORR since data collection began in 2004. Harassment and common assault accounted for the majority of these incidents.
Assaults against rail workers on mainline networks also saw an increase, rising by 12 percent to 11,289 incidents. These included verbal abuse, physical assaults, and threats. In contrast, reported assaults against staff on the London Underground decreased by three percent to 3,525 incidents.
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Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), described the figures as "shocking but not surprising" and warned that violence on railways is "spiralling out of control." The union is calling for increased government funding for the transport budget to provide the railway with necessary resources. This includes greater funding for the British Transport Police (BTP) to respond to incidents and protect staff and passengers. The TSSA also urged train operating companies to end lone working practices that leave staff vulnerable and to consider banning individuals who commit acts of violence from the transport network.
Police and Regulator Response
British Transport Police assistant chief constable Ian Drummond-Smith stated that officers are actively working to identify and prosecute offenders through daily patrols and intelligence-led operations. The BTP is supporting the rollout of body-worn video (BWV) to frontline rail workers, reporting an 85 percent success rate in bringing offenders to justice when BWV is used. The ORR's chief inspector of railways, Richard Hines, called the figures "concerning" and highlighted ongoing work with industry and trade unions to address risks and provide support to staff.
Mark Phillips, chief executive of the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), emphasised the need for a change in public behaviour and greater respect for railway staff. A joint statement from Network Rail, the Rail Delivery Group, and DfT Operator Limited highlighted collaborative efforts to reduce risk, including improved intelligence sharing, reporting processes, enhanced CCTV, and the deployment of over 24,000 body-worn cameras.
Government Funding Boost
In response to the rising assaults, the Department for Transport announced a £63 million increase in British Transport Police funding by 2028/29. This funding will support the recruitment of over 200 additional officers. The government is also investing in enhanced station CCTV connectivity, greater use of body-worn video, and new measures to tackle and ban repeat offenders from the railway.
The BTP urges anyone who witnesses violence or abuse on the railway to report it by texting 61016 or calling 999 in an emergency.
Questions this report answers
+How many assaults were reported on the London Underground in the last year?
Between April 2025 and March 2026, 5,534 assaults on passengers and members of the public were reported on the London Underground. This represents a 20 percent increase compared to the previous year.
+What is being done to address the rise in assaults?
The Department for Transport is increasing British Transport Police funding by £63 million by 2028/29, which will allow for over 200 additional officers. Investments are also being made in enhanced CCTV, body-worn video technology, and measures to ban repeat offenders.
+What is the wider trend for assaults on Britain's railways?
Assaults on mainline passengers reached a record high of 13,464 between April 2025 and March 2026, a 36 percent increase from the prior year. Assaults against rail workers on these lines also rose by 12 percent.
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