New statistics from the British Transport Police shows the railway stations most affected by crime – with the worst seeing more than 1,000 offences committed last year
The nation’s most crime-plagued railway stations where the most sex assaults, violent attacks, muggings and drug offences were committed have been revealed by police.
Statistics from British Transport Police shows the stations most affected by crime – with the worst seeing more than 1,000 offences committed last year. Major transport hubs in London saw the greatest number of offences as did big stations outside the capital including Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.
Overall, the station with the worst crime record was Euston Station, in London, where there were more than 1,500 offences logged last year.
READ MORE: Major Devon train line to close after giant sinkhole appears near railwayREAD MORE: Model sexually assaulted on train says she was saved by woman’s act
It saw the greatest number of violent offences recorded (227), drugs crimes (247), sexual offences (29) and theft of a passengers’ property (650). BTP revealed the 30 stations in Britain that had the highest number of crimes logged against them in 2024-25, which reached an overall total of almost 18,000 – the equivalent of 50 every single day.
London Bridge station had the worst record for weapons crimes (33) and robbery (37), Reading saw the most bicycle thefts (65) and Brighton had the highest number of graffiti incidents (24). When it came to public order offences London Bridge has the highest tally (141) followed by Birmingham New Street (122), London Euston (118) and Leeds (117).
Other stations outside London that recorded high levels of crime were Leeds (574), Brighton (379), Liverpool Lime Street (356), Glasgow Central (327), Reading (324) and Wolverhampton (302). RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ”These shocking stats underline the need for an increased presence of British Transport Police on our railways.
“Our members are being punched, threatened, spat at and abused simply for turning up to work and keeping the railway running. That takes a serious physical and psychological toll, and it creates an environment where both staff and passengers feel unsafe.
“We need a properly funded British Transport Police, with a consistent and visible presence on trains and stations throughout the year, not just in response to major incidents. The horrific mass stabbing on a train diverted to Huntingdon station last year was a stark reminder of the potential dangers faced by rail staff and passengers.
“The government must step in with a long-term funding plan for BTP to restore policing levels across the network, legislate for a standalone offence to deter assaults on public transport workers and end unsafe lone working practices, with a guarantee of minimum safe staffing levels.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Millions of people pass through our stations every day, and the chances of becoming a victim of crime within one of them are incredibly low. Our stations are staffed throughout the day by dedicated teams on site, supported by regular patrols by the British Transport Police (BTP) and extensive CCTV coverage. We will continue to work closely with the BTP to keep people safe.”
A British Transport Police spokesperson said: “Every rail passenger has the right to a safe journey, and we are committed to protecting this right. We are continually working to raise public awareness of when and how to report crime, such as using our 61016 text-to-report service.
“It’s these reports twinned with other intelligence sources that inform our patrols and operations, ensuring officers are in the right locations at the right times to deter crime and respond quickly to incidents. Passengers can be sure that our uniformed and plain clothes officers are on the railway day and night to ensure every journey is a safe one, and we remain committed to ensuring the network is a hostile environment for offenders.”
The ten stations with the worst crime records last year:
1. Euston (1,536)
2. Kings Cross (1,479)
3. London Bridge (1,074)
4. St Pancras International (1,035)
5. Birmingham New Street (958)
6. Paddington (852)
7. Manchester Piccadilly (827)
8. Waterloo (778)
9. Kings Cross St Pancras Underground (736)
10. Finsbury Park (626)
It comes after a thief who targeted a teenage girl in a terrifying attack at Manchester Piccadilly was locked up for 10 months. Fawzi Hamza, 25, approached the 15-year-old from behind and tried to snatch her handbag, pushing and pulling her in front of horrified passengers at 4,30pm on 28 December 2024.
Members of the public rushed to intervene, while British Transport Officers stationed nearby were alerted and immediately moved in to arrest Hamza. He was jailed at Manchester Crown Court on June 24 last year having admitted attempted robbery at an earlier hearing.
Investigating officer DC Leonidas Christoforou said: “This was an incredibly frightening incident for the young girl, who was left understandably shaken. We’re very grateful to her for supporting our investigation, and to the members of public who came to her aid.
