Assaults against passengers on Britain’s mainline railways have surged by 36% in the latest reporting year, marking the highest number of such incidents recorded since data collection began two decades ago. The latest annual safety report from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) shows that reported crimes against the public rose to 13,464 incidents in the year to March 2026, up from 9,936 in the previous period.
The spike in passenger-targeted violence contributed to an overall increase in mainline crime, which reached its highest levels since 2004. Within the data, specific categories of crime saw even sharper escalations; cases of harassment against the public rose by 52% year-on-year, while common assaults saw a 30% increase. The British Transport Police (BTP) and the ORR suggested that the rise in figures may be partially attributed to successful public awareness programs and zero-tolerance campaigns, which have encouraged victims and witnesses to report incidents more frequently.
Workforce Violence and Staff Safety
Violence against railway staff also trended upward, though at a lower rate than passenger incidents. Total assaults against the mainline workforce increased by 12% to reach 11,289 incidents. For the first time, the ORR provided a granular breakdown of these reports, revealing that the majority of incidents—6,390 cases—involved verbal abuse. However, the data also tracked 2,487 physical assaults and 2,412 instances of threats against rail employees.
The trend on the mainline network contrasted with figures from the London Underground. While passenger assaults on the Tube rose by 20% to 5,534 incidents, assaults against staff on the London network actually fell by 3%, totaling 3,525. This divergence suggests differing safety dynamics between the national rail network and the capital’s transit system.
Rising Fatalities and Legislative Demands
Beyond personal assaults, the ORR safety report highlighted a concerning trend in rail-related fatalities. The reporting year saw 18 deaths involving passengers or members of the public. Notably, 11 of these occurred at mainline level crossings, representing the highest number of level-crossing fatalities recorded since 2014.
The release of these figures has intensified pressure on the government to bolster legal protections for transport staff. RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey characterized the statistics as “horrendous” and reiterated union demands for the introduction of a standalone criminal offense for assaulting public transport workers. The RMT is advocating for this specific protection to be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill to act as a stronger deterrent against the rising tide of workplace violence.
While the BTP maintains that the increase reflects a more proactive reporting culture, the volume of physical attacks continues to be a primary concern for industry stakeholders. As the railway handles higher passenger volumes, the balance between reporting transparency and the actual safety of the network remains a central point of debate for rail operators and the Department for Transport.
