Surge in thefts and violence on railways

Surge in thefts and violence on Britain's railways directly linked to Government attack on train and station staffing

Rail Union RMT says that a surge in personal thefts and acts of violence on Britain’s railways, just revealed by the British Transport Police and rail chiefs, is directly linked to the Government’s attack on station and train staffing numbers and is set to worsen if the recommendations of the McNulty Rail Review are not reversed.

The shocking new figures show that the number of thefts of personal property from railway passengers has risen by 16 per cent and that there has also been an increase in violent incidents in the past year, which rose by 201 on the National Rail network.

RMT is warning that cuts to on-train and station staff encourages violent and criminal behaviour and is set to escalate into a wholesale de-staffing of the network if the Government "get away with their McNulty review plans". 

RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said: “These shocking new figures on thefts and violence on Britain’s trains should be a wake-up call to the Government as they roll ahead with their plans to axe guards, station and platform staff in the name of maximizing the train operators’ profits.

“Without a physical presence of staff on our trains and stations the muggers, the drunks and the violent are given the green light to launch thefts and attacks and the sooner the Government wake up to the consequences of their cuts plans the safer our railways will be for all of us.”