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Reported rail assaults in Great Britain near 25,000 a year

ORR data show assaults against passengers and the public rose 36% year over year to 13,464 incidents in 2025-26, while reported assaults on staff increased 12% to 11,289.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Europe

The Guardian reports that reported assaults on Great Britain’s railways have reached a record high, with nearly 25,000 incidents recorded in a year. Unions and rail authorities pointed to the need for more staffing and policing as reported violence and abuse increased.

According to Office of Rail and Road figures cited by The Guardian, there were 13,464 reported assaults against passengers and members of the public on the mainline railway in 2025-26, up 36% from the prior year. Assaults on rail staff rose 12% year over year to 11,289 incidents, including nearly 2,500 physical assaults, about seven a day.

The article also highlights increases in specific categories, including harassment up 52% year over year and common assault up 30% among attacks on the public. The Guardian notes unions said funding cuts to the British Transport Police have been damaging, and the data reflect both increased reporting and campaigns focused on zero tolerance, along with ongoing concerns over threats to frontline workers and passengers.

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