TfL Launches New Campaign to Combat Staff Violence

The campaign utilizes examples of prosecutions from past abuse cases involving TfL staff to emphasize that violent and aggressive behavior will not go unpunished.

Data from TfL indicates an increase in work-related violence and aggression towards staff, with an average of 200 incidents reported weekly in 2023/4.

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Security, Policing and Enforcement, stated, “This new campaign aims to send a strong message to offenders that staff abuse won’t be tolerated on our services and that they will face serious consequences if caught.”

In 2023/24, there were 10,493 reports of work-related violence and aggression, marking a 5% increase from 9,989 incidents in 2022/3.

While physical incidents have reportedly decreased, TfL staff have reported high levels of verbal abuse, threats, hate speech, and aggressive behavior.

The new campaign from London’s transport provider aims to promote the safety of all staff members and ensure they can perform their duties without threats or intimidation.

Dominique Ioannou from the British Transport Police commented, “No one on the rail network should ever be subjected to violence or abuse, especially rail staff who are simply doing their job.”

He added, “We take assaults towards rail staff extremely seriously, and they will not be tolerated on the network under any circumstances.”

The campaign references real-life incidents and criminal prosecutions to warn potential perpetrators. One incident highlighted in the campaign involves a man sentenced to 38 weeks in prison for threatening and assaulting a customer service assistant at King’s Cross St Pancras in June 2023.

Two other examples include a teenager sentenced to three weeks in prison for spitting at and racially abusing a customer service assistant at Balham station, and a 59-year-old man sentenced to 20 months in prison for verbally and physically assaulting a bus driver at Cromwell bus station.

Tom Naughton, Head of the Metropolitan Police’s road and transport policing command, added, “Anyone who is abusive, aggressive, or violent towards staff on London’s transport network can expect to be arrested and prosecuted.”

“The recent prosecutions resulting in prison sentences demonstrate the consequences of criminal behavior towards TfL staff,” he concluded.