25 March 2026
RMT Press Office:
Transport union RMT, has backed calls from a cross-party Greater London Authority (GLA) Committee criticising the Government’s failure to strengthen legal protections for public transport workers in the Crime and Policing Bill, which completes its passage through the House of Lords today.
The intervention follows recent evidence to the Committee from frontline transport workers detailing widespread violence and abuse across London’s network.
Latest British Transport Police figures show assaults on rail staff have risen by 34% over the last three months compared with the previous year.
In a letter to the Home Secretary, the Committee said it was “disappointed that an opportunity to provide stronger legal protections to transport workers… is being lost” and called for new legislation to create a standalone offence of assaulting a public transport worker.
RMT has campaigned for a bespoke offence of assaulting a transport worker to be incorporated into the Bill, a position that is supported across the industry including by the Rail Delivery Group and British Transport Police.
The union has now urged the Government to act on the Committee’s recommendations and convene an urgent working group with transport unions, the Home Office, Department for Transport, Ministry of Justice and transport authorities to bring forward legislation as a priority.
A similar process in Scotland has already led to the Scottish Government accepting recommendations in full, including exploring a standalone offence, and RMT says workers in England and Wales must not be left behind.
RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: “Violence, abuse and harassment of transport workers is rising and the Government must act now to bring forward legislation that properly protects our members.
“They are facing abuse and assault simply for doing their jobs, and a 34% rise in attacks shows how intolerable the situation is.
“We have been clear that there must be a standalone offence of assaulting a public transport worker, backed by proper enforcement and resources.
“This has widespread support across the industry and there is no justification for further delay.
“Ministers must now urgently bring unions, transport bodies and government departments together to deliver the legal protections our members need.
“Scotland is already moving in this direction and workers in England and Wales cannot be left behind.”
END
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Tagged with: RMT, Eddie Dempsey, GLA, Action Against Assaults
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