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Thu, 21 May 2026

Thu, 21 May 2026 Police to score train firms on tackling sexual harassment

The government will not be financial or legal penalties for train operators who fail to meet the targets.
The government has announced plans to score train operators on how they tackle sexual harassment on railways. Eight standards will be used, including victim support and crime prevention. However, women's safety groups and survivors of sexual abuse on trains have criticized the plan for not going far enough. The new scheme encourages passengers to report incidents such as staring, intrusive questions, and unwelcome comments. To be accredited under the Safer Railway Scheme, train companies must achieve an overall score of at least 70%. However, there will be no financial or legal penalties for operators who fall below this target. Women's groups have expressed disappointment with the plan, saying it does not provide sufficient protection for passengers. A survivor of a sexual assault on a train said she is "angry" and feels that the government's announcement "doesn't reassure me". The new scheme follows an investigation by the BBC, which revealed reports of sexual assaults on trains have risen by a third over the past decade. The investigation also highlighted issues with CCTV on the rail network. Some groups have welcomed the plan as a step in the right direction, but say more needs to be done to address the issue of sexual harassment on railways.