Safety on public transport

Warning: this briefing discusses (sexual) violence which readers may find distressing.

Though research indicates that users generally report feeling safe when using public transport, there are reports of increasing crime, harassment and anti-social behaviour affecting both passengers and staff. Responsibility for safety on the public transport network is shared between transport operators, police forces, local authorities, and the government.

This paper discusses public transport in England, though some legislation and policies discussed extend into Wales and Scotland. ‘Safety’ is discussed with regards to passenger and staff’s ability to use, and work on, public transport ‘without the risk of harassment, discrimination, the threat of violence, or being a victim of a crime’ (PDF). It does not discuss risks around falling ill, or getting injured by an accident or attempt at self-harm.

Passenger safety on public transport

The government’s National Travel Attitudes study in 2023 found that 34% of people had witnessed assault or harassment on public transport during the previous year. The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) has also found that 86% of public transport users had encountered anti-social behaviour that made them feel less safe in the past year, with excessive drinking identified as a particularly common issue.

Responsibility for passenger safety is divided across the transport system. The British Transport Police (BTP) polices the rail network, including services such as the London Underground and some tram and metro systems. Local police forces are responsible for buses, taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs). The Department for Transport sets transport policy and funding arrangements, while local transport authorities plan local services. Public transport operators must also meet safety requirements through licensing and regulatory frameworks.

Passengers can report incidents and crime to the BTP, or to local police forces. It is recognised that people can be reluctant to report such incidents however, often due to doubts that further action would be taken, or feeling that the incident was not serious enough to warrant reporting.

Measures to improve passenger safety

Governments, transport authorities and operators have introduced a range of measures intended to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour. These include CCTV, improved lighting, staff patrols, enforcement activity and public awareness campaigns. Partnerships such as TravelSafe in Greater Manchester and the Safer Travel Partnership in the West Midlands bring together transport operators, police forces and local authorities to coordinate responses.

The government has also funded pilots of Transport Safety Officers, whose role included engaging with passengers, addressing anti-social behaviour and issuing fixed penalty notices. On the rail network, measures include increased police patrols, station improvements and the Safer Railway Scheme, which sets standards covering areas such as staff training, reporting arrangements and crime prevention. The Bus Services Act 2025 gives local authorities new powers relating to bus franchising, byelaws and guidance on the design of stopping places. In the taxi and PHV sector, the government has proposed reforms intended to increase consistency in licensing standards.

Women and girls’ safety on public transport

With the government declaring violence against women and girls (VAWG) a ‘national emergency’ in late 2025, attention is particularly being paid to the safety of women and girls on the transport network.

Women and girls are reported to rely more heavily on public transport than men but are consistently more likely to feel unsafe using it, especially after dark. BTP data showed that VAWG-related offences on the rail network increased in 2025–26, though there is a suggestion that this increase, to some extent, may be a reflection of higher reporting rates.

Measures aimed at reducing VAWG include staff training, reporting campaigns, stronger use of CCTV, dedicated rail industry commitments, national bus driver training and planned reforms to taxi and PHV licensing. The government’s VAWG strategy also includes interventions specifically focused on transport.

Staff safety on public transport

Transport unions and operators report increasing concern about violence and abuse directed at staff. Surveys of transport workers have found that verbal abuse, threats and assaults are common across rail and bus services, with evidence collected in London highlighting continuing incidents impacting taxi and PHV drivers.

Employers have legal duties under health and safety legislation to protect employees from workplace risks, including violence. Measures used across the sector include staff training, body-worn cameras, improved reporting systems and targeted enforcement activity. Some stakeholder organisations have called for a specific criminal offence covering assaults on transport workers, although the government has said it does not intend to introduce one and has instead emphasised operational measures to improve staff safety.

Reporting and key contacts

• The British Transport Police can be reached on 61016, to report crime on the rail network or London Underground.
• In an emergency, the police should be contacted on 999, regardless of the transport mode.
• In a non-emergency, crime on a bus or in a taxi/PHV can be reported to the local police at 101.
• There is also a railways sexual harassment line (0800 7840137) operated by charity Crimestoppers.
• Local authorities and operators may have additional reporting mechanisms. For example, Transport for London has its own page for reporting incidents or crime on the network.
• Public transport staff are encouraged to report incidents to their employer, as well as the relevant police force.