Robbery cases on public transport have surged by 136 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels, sparking concerns over a crime wave across Britain's network. Data from the House of Commons Library reveals that British Transport Police recorded 1,663 robberies in 2024/25, a sharp rise from 705 in 2018/19.
Theft offences also increased significantly, climbing from 28,193 to 37,172 over the same period, a 32 per cent jump. Hate crime incidents rose by 30 per cent, from 3,558 to 4,626, while sexual offences increased by 17 per cent, from 1,894 to 2,220. However, harassment cases fell by 8 per cent, from 145 to 134.
The Liberal Democrats, who analysed the data, are urging the government to deploy more police officers on regular patrols across public transport to tackle what they describe as an 'utterly shocking' level of crime. They highlighted research by the University of Cambridge and British Transport Police, which found that short bursts of patrols at high-crime London Underground stations led to a 28 per cent reduction in reported crime. Notably, 97 per cent of the crime reduction occurred during periods when police were not present, attributed to a 'phantom effect' from 15-minute patrols conducted four times daily.
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson said: 'The scale of crime happening every day on our public transport system is utterly shocking. Whether it's children heading to school on the bus or commuters travelling to work on the train, nobody should be forced to worry about having their phone stolen, being threatened or facing abuse.' He added: 'The government needs to get a grip on this crisis and restore order across the network. The solution is obvious - more police regularly patrolling public transport. Sadly, the government is dragging its heels and too many people are suffering as a result.'
Transport spokesman Olly Glover MP said: 'We need to bring an end to this epidemic now, and restore people's faith in the safety of our buses, train stations and trams.'
British Transport Police recorded 26 crimes per million passenger journeys in 2024/25. A spokesperson said: 'It's important to contextualise that the chance of being a victim of crime on the railway is extremely low, and the vast majority of journeys are made without incident.' They noted that robbery rates have fallen for a second consecutive year on the London network following targeted police activity, decreasing by 35 per cent over two years in winter months when robbery rates are typically highest. The spokesperson also attributed the increase in sexual offence reports to greater awareness and reporting confidence, adding: 'Every day we have teams of officers patrolling stations and trains in plain clothes, so whether you see us or not, we are there keeping everyone on the railway safe.'
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: 'Everyone has the right to travel without fear. That's why the British Transport Police's budget is being boosted by 15 per cent over the next three years to recruit over 200 extra officers and build on the fact more than eight in ten passengers currently tell us they feel safe travelling by train. On top of this, the rate of crime on the railways fell again last year by 3 per cent, despite a 7 per cent increase in passenger journeys.'
