The number of sexual offences reported on Britain’s railways has more than doubled over the past five years, according to police. Across Britain’s railways, including the tube, there were 2,382 offences in 2017, compared with 1,049 reported in 2013, British Transport Police (BTP) figures show.

Overall, crime has generally fallen on public transport over the last decade, and police said the number of sexual offences reflected campaigns to encourage the reporting of these crimes. However, police believe that most such incidents remain unreported.

Figures given to LBC in response to a freedom of information request showed 210 incidents last year involved children under the age of 18.

Victims have been able to report sexual offences by text message since 2013 as part of a policing operation launched in London called Project Guardian, including specialist covert patrols on the underground to catch offenders.

The number of recorded offences has risen steadily since 2013, up to 1,307 in 2014, to 1,795 in 2015 and 2,070 in 2016. The overwhelming number of reports were in England, with only 87 offences recorded by transport police in Scotland and Wales last year, up from 60 in 2013.

The BBC last year said 1,448 sexual offences were reported on trains in 2016-17. The latest figures also include offences on stations.



A BTP spokesman said tackling all forms of unwanted sexual behaviour on public transport was a priority. “We have worked hard in recent years to send a clear message to victims that they will be taken seriously and we will thoroughly investigate offences.



“This includes any form of behaviour that makes them feel uncomfortable – that could be rubbing, leering, sexual comments, indecent acts or more serious sexual assault.”

A campaign called Report It to Stop It, which has superseded Project Guardian, has helped to raise awareness and give people the confidence to contact police.

The spokesman added: “Though it is clearly a concern that so many people are affected by this type of crime, it is pleasing that previously reluctant victims of sexual offences now have the confidence to report this to us.”