Joint summit aims to improve safety on London’s public transport network

Leaders from key transport organisations, law enforcement, community groups and local authorities came together at a joint summit hosted by Transport for London (TfL) and London TravelWatch. The summit, aimed at addressing personal safety and security on London’s public transport, focused on tackling issues such as hate crime, harassment and general crime within the city’s transit network.

The summit was an opportunity to assess progress made since London TravelWatch’s 2022 Personal Security Report, which highlighted the prevalence of crime and unwanted behaviours, including sexual harassment and hate crime, across London’s transport system. Attendees, including representatives from the British Transport Police, the Mayor’s Office of Policing and Crime, and organisations like Galop and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, contributed to discussions exploring solutions to enhance passenger safety.

A recurring theme of the summit was the importance of encouraging passengers to report hate crimes on public transport, coupled with the need for stronger support services for survivors. Leaders emphasised that increased reporting and targeted support can help authorities understand and respond to safety concerns more effectively.

“Safety on public transport is a fundamental right for every Londoner,” said Michael Roberts, CEO of London TravelWatch. “By working together with partners, community groups and key organisations, we can create an environment where everyone feels safer when travelling.”

Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Security, Policing, and Enforcement, said: “We want everyone to feel safe and be safe when always travelling around London without fear of abuse or harassment, which has absolutely no place on our network. Last week’s summit was an important opportunity for us and our partners, community groups and stakeholders to come together to work towards this goal and we will be acting on what we heard.”

Deputy Mayor for Transport Seb Dance said: “We’re increasing provision of CCTV, rolling out 4G/5G on the Tube to keep customers connected while they travel, and investing in lots of other important measures. To accompany these, the Mayor has announced his intention to create a taskforce to tackle hate crime in London, in part to address the concerning rise of Islamophobia and anti-semitism in the capital.”

Rail Delivery Group CEO Jacqueline Starr said: “As an industry we are actively tackling all forms of sexual harassment and are committed to making our passengers feel safe when they travel across the rail network.”

Feedback from the summit will be used by London TravelWatch and TfL to guide further efforts in implementing the recommendations from the Personal Security Report, with a shared goal of building a safer, more inclusive transport network for all Londoners.