TfL crime rises 4.4% with Central and Northern lines worst affected

Offences across Transport for London's (TfL) network increased by 4.4% in the first six months of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, with a total of 24,750 crimes recorded. This rise occurred despite a decrease in passenger journeys across the network. The Central line was the most affected route, with 1,098 reported crimes, followed by the Northern line, which recorded 972 offences between January and June 2026.

Rise in Violence and Public Order Offences

Violence on the TfL network saw a 14.5% increase, totalling 5,036 reported offences. Public order offences also rose significantly by 34.6%, with 4,178 incidents reported. TfL stated that the introduction of a new sex-based harassment offence on 1 April 2026 accounted for 200 of these public order reports. Criminal damage, including graffiti, also increased by 26.6% to 2,149 offences.

Tube assaults reached a record high of 5,534 reported incidents between April 2025 and March 2026, a 20% year-on-year increase. The Office for Road and Rail reported that this rise was primarily driven by an increase in harassment and common assaults, which together constituted over 80% of all assaults in that period. However, TfL noted that 78.6% of recorded violence on the London Underground did not involve injury.

Sharp Increase in Hate Crime

Hate crime offences experienced a substantial surge, climbing by 43.5% from 598 to 858 incidents in the first half of 2026. Siwan Hayward, TfL's Director of Security, Policing and Enforcement, stated that this rise mirrors increases in anti-semitism and anti-Muslim hate reported nationwide. TfL has identified tackling hate crime as a top priority and is enhancing policing, staff training, and enforcement across its network.

The Central and Northern lines, being the longest on the Underground, recorded the highest crime figures. The Piccadilly line followed with 857 reported crimes. Stratford station had the most reported offences with 258, followed by King's Cross (216), Tottenham Court Road (213), Liverpool Street (172), and Oxford Circus (170).

Tackling Crime and Future Measures

Theft of passenger property, primarily pickpocketing, remained the most common offence, accounting for 40% of all crimes on the TfL network, although reports decreased by 7.7%. TfL is implementing measures to combat crime, including increased enforcement, joint operations, CCTV upgrades, and trials of new technology like live facial recognition. This technology is being trialled at key stations until November 2026 to identify individuals on police watchlists.

Siwan Hayward emphasised that everyone should be able to travel without fear and that tackling violence against women and girls and preventing sexual offending are key priorities. TfL encourages passengers to report any crime or witness incidents by texting 61016 to British Transport Police or calling 101 for bus network incidents. In emergencies, 999 should be used.

The TfL figures do not include fare evasion, which the authority estimates costs it up to £211 million per year. TfL aims to reduce fare evasion to 1.5% of all journeys by the end of 2031, down from its current estimated rate of 3.5%.