Passengers have helped the British Transport Police record almost 83,000 crimes over the past decade, by texting 61016, according to new figures released today, as the “See it. Say it. Sorted.” campaign reaches its 10th anniversary.
Since its launch in 2016, the campaign has become one of the most recognised public safety messages in the country, encouraging passengers to trust their instincts and report anything that doesn’t feel right to the British Transport Police.
This has led to real action – more than 200,000 texts are now sent to the British Transport Police each year using 61016, and last year saw an almost tenfold increase since the campaign was launched in 2016.
These texts alone – more than 1.5 million exchanged over the last 10 years – have led to more than 175,000 police deployments across the rail network.
Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, said:
“We’re committed to making our railways safe, and for a decade, ‘See it. Say it. Sorted.’ has played a vital role in doing this, supporting the British Transport Police, transforming how people report crimes and issues across the network.
“Almost 83,000 crimes have been recorded through the 61016 number – proof that reporting leads to real action, showing the difference passengers can make simply by speaking up.”
Over 60% of people say they feel safer because of viable security measures when traveling, and ‘See it. Say it. Sorted.’ is mandated across every train operator and station in England, Scotland and Wales, making it one of the most visible and widely deployed public safety campaigns in the country.
While the campaign is primarily a counter-terrorism campaign, it has evolved as a way of promoting the 61016 number, giving people another way to report a wide range of other crimes and safety issues to the British Transport Police.
This includes an incident in March 2025, where a passenger on a train to London Euston witnessed a man viewing graphic child abuse material on his phone and discreetly reported it by texting 61016.
Officers intercepted the train, arrested the man and he was sentenced to over two years in prison – showing the difference a single text can make to bring offenders to justice.
British Transport Police Chief Constable, Lucy D’Orsi, said:
“For 10 years, ‘See it. Say it. Sorted.’ has encouraged passengers to report anything that doesn’t feel right, helping raise awareness of British Transport Police’s 61016 text service, which now receives more than 25,000 messages each month.
“The free, discreet service allows passengers to report crime, suspicious behaviour and sexual harassment directly to us, enabling swift action to keep people safe and bring offenders to justice. The public are our eyes and ears on the railway, and their vigilance continues to play a vital role in helping keep the network safe.”
The Government is committed to making sure our railways are safe, and the British Transport Police are receiving an extra £63 million in funding over three years for 200 more officers, including 36 officers as part of a new team dedicated specifically to reducing violence and intimidation against women and girls.
This is alongside a £17 million investment to improve CCTV at stations, and for the first time rail operators are being assessed on their commitments to tackle violence against women and girls.
Image credit: iStockphoto.com / wcjohnston
