Train crime soars

Thuggery is soaring on the Tube and London's mainline commuter routes, official statistics reveal today.

The report comes two weeks after the killing of teenager Sayed Abbas at Hounslow West Tube station. Eight people have been charged with his murder.

There has also been an increase in attacks on staff, particularly at ticket barriers. Passenger groups and the rail unions today demanded better protection for both passengers and staff.

Anthony Smith, national director of the Rail Passengers Council, the national watchdog, said: "The fact that crime, including assaults on staff, is increasing is very worrying."

The RMT called for the return of guards to all trains and more station staff to help stem the rising tide of attacks. Bob

Crow, the RMT leader, said: "Our members all too often bear the brunt of aggressive, drunken behaviour. This happens particularly late at night and particularly when working alone, or they receive unacceptable abuse and threats from commuters frustrated by late-running trains."

Despite a year-on-year increase in the transport police budget of £ 20million to £162million and an increase of 80 officers - to 2,280 - for the period covered by the report, the number of crimes solved was the same as in the previous 12 months.

However, police say much of their time is now spent combating the terrorist threat instead of fighting crime.

The report says with terror threat levels "at the highest they have ever been, counter-terrorist activity is the British Transport Police's number one priority and accounts for an increasing proportion of police deployment". Tim Yeo, Tory shadow transport secretary, said the rise in violence "must be taken very seriously indeed".

He added: "There is a real danger that the revelation of increases in both crime and sexual assault will discourage more and more people from using

public transport. The Home Secretary's initiatives to improve safety have clearly failed.

"Now, not only do long-suffering passengers face worse service than in 1997, these figures show that they are at a greater risk of attack than before."