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Violent and sexual offences on London’s rail network rose by almost 1,000 last year with more than 16 incidents per day, the Standard can reveal.

According to figures obtained under Freedom of Information rules, there were 6,057 violent and sexual offences on the capital’s railways, tube trains and stations in 2016, compared to 5,137 the year before.

Most of the offences took place on London’s railway network, though there were more than 2,000 of the crimes on the Underground.

There was also a 15 per cent rise in the number of sexual offences on the capital’s transport network, rising from 1,251 to 1,449.

City Hall said the number of offences are “deeply worrying”.

However, British Transport Police (BTP) put the rise down to an increase in the number of journeys on London’s trains, with the long-awaited Night Tube opening in summer last year.

A spokesman said: “We’re committed to providing a safe environment for all passengers, rail staff, and officers – the rail network is a CCTV rich environment, and we deploy uniformed officers every day to patrol stations across the network to reassure passengers and staff.

“We have also introduced a number of new officers to the network since the introduction of Night Tube, to ensure we’re there if people need us.”

Victoria station was the worst in London for the offences, with 320 incidents on trains heading to or at the station in 2016.

The number of racially aggravated offences also rose from 1,101 to 1,323.

The figures come after Transport for London (TfL) re-launched a major campaign to tackle sex attacks on Tube trains.

In March, a woman anonymously came out and spoke of being sexually assaulted on London’s rail network in a bid to encourage others to report incidents.

Under the fake name of Christine, she said she was followed onto a packed train by a man in a suit, who started “rubbing himself” against her.

She said: “I was listening to music on my phone and the gentlemen kept gradually coming towards me, so I thought maybe he wanted to steal my phone or something.

“When I put my hand down to put (my phone) in my pocket that is when I felt he was erect and rubbing himself on my hand.

“I got off the train and I just ran. I just wanted to escape."

Her attacker, who also assaulted another woman, was arrested at Cannon Street Tube station and ordered to do 60 hours of unpaid work last year.

In November 2016, just 67 crimes had been reported on the Night Tube after 1.5 million journeys, which TfL hailed as due to creating a “safe, low crime environment”.

Since 2011, the number of passenger journeys on the London Underground has risen from 1.17bn journeys to 1.35bn.

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s head of transport policing, said that the increase in offences was down to low level crimes such as verbal assaults being reported.

She said: “We are extremely encouraged to see the increased reporting of sexual offences which is a direct result of our high profile Report It to Stop it campaign.

“This behaviour has no place on our transport network and alongside the police we urge victims to come forward so reports can be fully investigated and perpetrators brought to justice.”

Sophie Linden, deputy mayor for policing and crime, said: “Keeping Londoners safe is the mayor’s top priority, and the number of reports of sexual offences and racially aggravated assaults is deeply worrying.

“We are working with the Met, British Transport Police and TfL to make sure each report is taken extremely seriously, and to make improvements in line with changing demands.”

People can report unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport by texting 61016 or call the police on 101 and give details of what, where and when.