Reported assaults against rail workers and passengers rose substantially in April 2025 to March 2026 compared with the previous year, according to annual rail safety statistics published today by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
There were 11,289 reported workforce assaults on the mainline railway, up 12% compared with the previous year.
This total comprised 6,390 incidents of verbal abuse, 2,487 physical assaults and 2,412 threats. This is the first time ORR’s annual rail safety release has published workforce assaults across these three categories.
There were also 13,464 reported assaults against passengers and members of the public on the mainline, an increase of 36% and the highest number recorded since the series began in 2004. Harassment increased by 52% and common assaults by 30%.
On London Underground, assaults against passengers and members of the public increased 20% to 5,534 in the latest year, while reported workforce assaults fell 3% to 3,525.
Other key statistics, include:
- 18 passenger or public fatalities across Great Britain’s rail networks, four more than the previous year.
- Of these 18 fatalities, 11 were at mainline level crossings, six more than the previous year and the highest number since 2014.
- 12,551 workforce and passenger or public injuries on the mainline, up 6%.
- 252 mainline train accidents, down 43% compared with the previous year. There were no train accidents resulting in workforce or passenger or public fatalities.
- 310 signals passed at danger (SPADs) on the mainline, 11 more than the previous year.
Reflecting on the statistics, Richard Hines, ORR’s Chief Inspector of Railways, said: “The increase in reported assaults is concerning. 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.”
Image credit: Network Rail
