Sexual offences rise on Tube network, figures show

Sexual violence, among other crimes, saw a recorded rise in the past year

There has been a rise in the number of sexual offences recorded on London's Tube network, according to British Transport Police (BTP) figures.

The data recorded 909 sexual offences, excluding rape, between 1 December 2022 and 30 November 2023, compared to 866 in the previous 12 months.

The Liberal Democrats said London's mayor and the government had engaged in "political bickering" while crime has risen.

City Hall has previously said safety on public transport is a priority for Sadiq Khan.

Figures show violent crimes also rose, with 3,542 incidents reported, up from 2,963 in the previous year.

The number of robberies also saw a steep rise, with 736 cases reported, up from 442.

Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park, who obtained the BTP figures through a Freedom of Information request, said that "women deserve to feel safe on public transport".

"Yet these alarming figures risk telling a different story," she added.

Ms Olney called on Mr Khan and the government to define a strategy to tackle the rise in crime.

A spokesperson for Mr Khan said: “The safety of women and girls is an absolute priority for the mayor and TfL.

"TfL works with the BTP to pursue all sexual harassment offences using our extensive network of CCTV.

"We encourage anyone who experiences or witnesses incidents to report it to the police or a member of staff."

'More crimes solved'

It comes as passenger levels are getting closer to returning to normal since the coronavirus lockdowns, with daily passenger levels reaching 85% of pre-pandemic levels in August 2023, compared to 50% in May 2021.

BTP’s head of crime and public protection, Det Ch Supt Paul Furnell, said: "The public's safety is our number-one priority and our officers are working hard to help deter and detect crime across the rail network.”

Mr Furnell added there had been “an increase in solve rates” for robbery and sexual offences, “with more offenders being subjected to orders to inhibit their ability to offend”.

"We use a variety of tactics to ensure journeys stay safe including uniform and plain-clothes patrols, thousands of CCTV cameras, and intelligence-driven policing,” he said.

A Home Office spokesperson said: “We are providing police forces with the tools they need to deliver for the public and since 2010 our communities are safer.

“Neighbourhood crimes including burglary, robbery and theft are down 50% and violent crime is down 52%."