Record Assaults on Britain’s Railways Reach Highest Levels in 2025-26

The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) reported that 13,464 assaults on passengers and other members of the public were recorded on main-line services during the 2025-26 financial year, a 36 % rise on the previous year and the highest total since the agency began tracking the data in 2004. Assaults on rail staff rose 12 % to 11,289 incidents, including 6,390 cases of verbal abuse, 2,487 physical assaults and 2,412 threats. On the London Underground, reported assaults on the public climbed to 5,534, a 20 % increase, while assaults on staff fell slightly. Combined, the figures approach 25,000 reported incidents across the rail network for the year.

Assaults on passengers and public on Britain’s railways surge to new record The Guardian

Among assaults on the public, harassment surged 52 % year on year and common assault increased 30 %. The ORR noted that headline numbers can include multiple counts for a single incident—for example, an event may be recorded as both harassment and common assault. For staff, the majority of incidents were verbal abuse, but nearly 2,500 physical assaults were recorded, averaging about seven daily assaults on railway employees.

The Guardian

Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), described the figures as “horrendous” and said they echo union surveys showing two-thirds of members experienced some form of violence at work in the past year. A spokesperson for Network Rail and train operators called the violence “completely unacceptable,” emphasizing cooperation with British Transport Police to investigate incidents, support victims and bring offenders to justice.

The Guardian

Mark Phillips, chief executive of the Rail Safety and Standards Board, said the data underline the need for a change in public behaviour and greater respect for railway staff. He linked the trend to broader patterns of abuse faced by frontline workers, noting that the British Retail Consortium warned of “endemic” violence toward shop workers earlier in the year and that reports of violence against NHS staff exceeded 100,000 in 2025.

The GuardianAssaults on passengers and public on Britain’s railways surge to new record

The Department for Transport and British Transport Police were approached for comment but did not provide a response at the time of reporting. The ORR highlighted that improved reporting processes, increased intelligence sharing, and expanded CCTV and body-worn camera use have contributed to higher recorded numbers, alongside a genuine rise in incidents.

The Guardian