Tube crime rises 4.4% as assaults reach record
The Central and Northern lines saw the most offences, with Stratford named the worst station.
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Crime across Transport for London's (TfL) network increased by 4.4% in the first half of this year, with a total of 24,750 offences reported to police. This rise occurred despite a decrease in passenger journeys. Violence on the network saw a 14.5% increase, with 5,036 offences recorded, while public order offences rose by 34.6% to 4,178 incidents. TfL stated that the increase in public order offences was partly due to the introduction of a new sex-based harassment offence on 1 April, which accounted for 200 of these reports.
Separate statistics reveal that assaults on the Tube reached a record high, with 5,534 reported incidents between April 2025 and March 2026. This represents a 20% year-on-year increase, primarily driven by rises in harassment and common assaults. The Office for Road and Rail confirmed these figures. Despite the increase in violent offences, TfL noted that 78.6% of those recorded on the London Underground did not involve injury.
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Highest crime on Central and Northern lines
The Central and Northern lines, both among the longest on the Underground, recorded the highest numbers of crimes between January and June this year. The Central line had 1,098 reported offences, and the Northern line had 972. The Piccadilly line followed with 857 crimes. Stratford station reported the most offences overall, with 258 incidents, followed by King's Cross (216), Tottenham Court Road (213), Liverpool Street (172), and Oxford Circus (170).
Hate crime on the TfL network saw a significant increase of 43.5%, rising from 598 to 858 offences. Siwan Hayward, TfL’s Director of Security, Policing and Enforcement, stated that this rise mirrored national increases in anti-semitism and anti-Muslim hate. She added that TfL is prioritising tackling hate crime through strengthened policing, staff training, and enforcement. Work-related violence and aggression also increased by 13.1%.
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Financial impact of fare evasion
The TfL figures do not include offences related to fare evasion. However, the transport authority has admitted that it loses an estimated £211 million annually due to passengers not paying for their journeys. TfL aims to reduce the rate of fare evasion to 1.5% by the end of 2031, down from the current estimated 3.5%.
TfL is also deploying live facial recognition technology at key stations as part of a trial with British Transport Police. The trial, which began in August at Victoria Underground station and is scheduled to run until November 2026, aims to identify individuals on police watchlists and deter crime and antisocial behaviour.
What happens next
TfL continues to work with the police to tackle crime, focusing on increased enforcement, visibility, joint operations, and technology such as live facial recognition. The organisation encourages passengers to report any witnessed or experienced crime by texting 61016 to British Transport Police or calling 101 for non-emergencies.
Questions this report answers
+How much did crime increase on the TfL network?
Crime across the Transport for London network rose by 4.4% in the first six months of this year compared to the same period in 2025. This equates to an additional 1,053 offences, bringing the total to 24,750 reported incidents.
+Which Tube lines and stations are most affected by crime?
The Central line recorded the highest number of crimes with 1,098 offences, followed by the Northern line with 972, between January and June this year. Stratford station had the most reported crimes with 258 incidents.
+What is the financial impact of fare evasion?
Transport for London loses an estimated £211 million each year due to fare evasion. The transport authority aims to reduce this loss by bringing the rate of fare evasion down to 1.5% by the end of 2031.
+What action is TfL taking to combat crime?
TfL is increasing enforcement and visibility, conducting joint operations with police, and trialling new technologies like live facial recognition. They are also focusing on tackling hate crime through enhanced training and policing.
WE FILE
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The London Travel Desk assembled this report from the outlets listed below. Language-model drafting is reviewed under human editorial supervision, with scoring notes and corrections kept visible.