Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many crimes have been reported on the rail network in England and Wales in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what plans he has to reduce crime on the rail network.

Reported crime figures on the railways in Great Britain over the last 5 years are set out below:

2014-15: 46,688

2015-16: 48,718

2016-17: 52,235

2017-18: 60,867

2018-19: 68,313

The Government is committed to reducing crime, anti-social behaviour and the fear of crime wherever it occurs in the transport system. We want to see more and more people using public transport - one of the key ways of encouraging this is to make sure it is a safe option.

The Department works with the British Transport Police (BTP), including on joint initiatives such as the secure stations scheme, to tackle crime on the railways in Great Britain. Under their franchise agreements, Train Operating Companies are required to work with BTP to manage and reduce railway crime. A number of campaigns and initiatives have been undertaken to encourage victims to report crime to BTP and help to improve confidence in the police. Increased reporting has been a contributory factor in the recent rises in reported crime.