Criticism has been directed at Sadiq Khan for his perceived failure to ensure the safety of London residents, particularly as crime on the city’s transport network has surged by a third.
Statistics reveal a 30% increase in reported crimes on public transport in London during the six months leading up to September.
The total number of reported crimes reached 22,290, up from 17,160 during the same period in the previous year. This significant escalation occurred despite only a 13% rise in public transport usage between the two periods.
Susan Hall, the Conservative mayoral candidate, said the figures suggested that Mr Khan was failing to protect Londoners, adding: “He is responsible for TfL [Transport for London] and keeping Londoners safe, but his weak leadership has let crime skyrocket. We need change, because Londoners deserve better.”
The statistics reveal a notable increase in incidents occurring on the London Underground, with 10,836 crimes reported during the six-month period, marking a 56% surge compared to the 6,924 incidents recorded the previous year.
This translates to a crime rate of approximately 19 incidents per million journeys. Of particular concern is the significant rise in robberies, which doubled from 164 offenses last year to 340 this year.
The escalation in crime on the London Underground surpasses the overall trend across London, where crime has only risen by eight percent. The Northern Line registered the highest number of incidents at 1,733, followed by the Jubilee Line with 1,694 and the Victoria Line with 1,574.
Keith Prince, a Conservative London Assembly member, said: “Crime on London public transport is out of control. Passengers are experiencing violence, robbery, theft and sexual offences on a daily basis. It’s no wonder many Londoners are now too afraid to use public transport.
“Sadiq Khan runs TfL and the Met Police. The buck stops with him. The Mayor needs to get a grip on skyrocketing crime on London buses, trains and trams.”
Mr Khan has defended himself by suggesting that the public transport crime trends in London reflect national figures, which are rising because of the lower volumes recorded during the pandemic.
A spokesman said: “Everyone should feel safe on London’s transport network, and it is the Mayor’s priority to ensure the transport network remains a safe and low-crime environment.
“City Hall and TfL have been actively promoting the importance of reporting crimes, especially those that are underreported such as hate crime, sexual offences and harassment and work-related violence and aggression.”
Siwan Hayward, the director of security, policing and enforcement for TfL, said: “All stations are staffed from first train until last train and we have more than 4,500 station colleagues available across the network to assist customers and keep them safe.”
“We will continue to work closely with the police to ensure that our transport network remains a safe environment to work and travel.”
