Assaults on London Underground passengers have surged by 20% in a year, with reported attacks on the public climbing to 5,534 between April 2025 and March 2026, according to figures from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
The data, released as part of a wider report, shows that assaults on passengers and other members of the public on Britain's railways have reached a record high. There were 13,464 reported assaults against people who are not part of the railway workforce on mainline services, an increase of 36% compared with the previous year.
Record numbers on mainline services
This is the highest number since the ORR began recording the data in 2004, with harassment and common assault making up the majority of incidents, the regulator said.
Assaults against rail workers on mainline networks also increased by 12% compared with the previous year, to a total of 11,289, according to the data. This included 6,390 incidents of verbal abuse, 2,487 physical assaults and 2,412 threats.
Tube staff assaults fall slightly
In contrast, there were 3,525 reported assaults on the London Underground workforce, a decrease of 3% from the previous year.
Richard Hines, ORR's chief inspector of railways, described the increase in assault reports as “concerning”. He said: “No-one on the railway should be subjected to violence, threats or abuse.
“We're working with industry and our trade union colleagues to address work-related violence and harassment, including through recent guidance which sets out what we expect from rail employers.
“This includes understanding where the risks are, putting effective controls in place, encouraging staff to report incidents and providing appropriate support afterwards.
“Our inspectors will continue to check how these risks are being managed.”
Industry calls for change in public behaviour
Mark Phillips, Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) chief executive, said: “The rail industry continues to take action to better protect staff, but these figures underline the need for a change in public behaviour and greater respect for the people who keep the railway running safely every day.”
