Rise in violent offences on London Underground

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The number of cases of violence against individuals on the Tube rose last year.

But rates of overall crime on the UK capital's public transport systems fell in 2012/13 to record low levels, police figures today showed.

There were 1,897 instances of violence against the person on the Tube and on Docklands Light Railway in 2012/13 compared with 1,792 in 2011/12,

Cases of theft of passenger property also rose - from 6,021 in 2011/12 to 7,282 in 2012/13.

But taking in all London public transport, including buses and the main line London Overground services, there were just 8.9 crimes per one million passenger journeys in 2012/13.

This is the lowest annual figure and compared with 9.4 crimes per one million passenger journeys in 2011/12.

From the Met Police and British Transport Police, the statistics showed that across the whole London transport network, robbery dropped by 17.6%, criminal damage was down 15.7% and violence against individuals reduced by 6.8% with 527 fewer offences.

On the buses, there were 8.6 crimes per million passenger journeys in 2012/13 - down from 9.3 in 2011/12 and less than half of what it was in 2005/06 when levels peaked and the rate was 21.6 crimes per million passenger journeys.

Crime on London Overground rose 18.3% in 2012/13 but there were only 6.7 crimes per one million passenger journeys.

Transport for London's community, safety and enforcement and policing acting director Siwan Hayward said: “Our transport network continues to be a safe, low crime environment.

“Despite this we are not complacent and are putting in measures to effectively deal with the rise in theft on some modes of the network.”