Fundamental flaws in the way crime and unwanted behaviour are reported on public transport are discouraging victims from coming forward and creating a significant gap in understanding the true scale of crime, new research by transport watchdog London TravelWatch has found.
It is vital that victims of crime on public transport can report what has happened to them quickly and easily, receive appropriate support, and have confidence that their report will be taken seriously and acted upon.
However our latest research has identified serious issues with the current reporting journey, and while 4 in 5 people say they would report an incident if they experienced one, in reality only 2 in 5 people do make a report.
And when passengers do report an incident, they experience a range of issues including disinterest and lack of understanding from station staff, confusion about where and how to report incidents, poor experiences when making a report, and a lack of confidence that anything will happen as a result.
Our latest report illustrates the full impact of these negative experiences on victims of these unwanted behaviours and crimes.
These failings risk not only leaving victims without the support they need, but also create a significant gap in understanding the true scale and nature of crime and can stop transport providers and policing authorities targeting resources where they are most needed.
Areas for change
Our research clearly shows that the current fragmented reporting process – across multiple operators, public authorities and police forces – can be too complex and confusing for victims of crime to engage with, and a single streamlined system would be by far the best approach.
But while such fundamental change will take time, we want to see immediate action on the following issues:
More staff empowerment and training. Staff should be trained to provide a proactive and compassionate first response, make supportive referrals and deliver regular and compassionate updates.
More public campaigns. As well as building on existing campaigns, more needs to be done to raise awareness of why and how to report a crime.
Monitoring and improving the current reporting system. There needs to be consistency and an empathetic response across all stages of the reporting journey, regular updates for victims and independent monitoring of the process to improve performance.
We would also like transport operators and policing authorities to commit to a wider review of the reporting process so that in the future we will see a simple, supportive, accessible and trusted pathway with a single front door.
Michael Roberts, London TravelWatch chief executive, said:
“This research has been vital in furthering our understanding of the reporting process and its complexities – and it is clear that the process has fundamental flaws that not only prevent people from reporting crimes, but also prevent us from gaining a full picture of the prevalence and type of hate crimes that people sadly experience.
“We now want to see the operators and policing authorities commit to making real change to improve the process for people, starting with the shorter term recommendations we have outlined in this research.”
BTP Chief Inspector Cheryl Ling said:
“We agree that reporting pathways should be accessible and straightforward so passengers can report crimes and their concerns as quickly as possible.
“We’re proud of our text 61016 service which allows passengers to report crime to us discreetly and for free. Last year we received a 20 percent increase in reports, which we believe shows a growing confidence among victims and bystanders, particularly women and girls, to come forward and report incidents.
“We continue to work with our partners, including Transport for London, the Mayor’s Office and the Metropolitan Police, to make the capital’s transport network as safe as we can for everyone.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Donna Smith of the Metropolitan Police Service said:
“We know that reporting a crime or incident can be daunting, and every victim deserves to be listened to, supported and taken seriously. We welcome this research and recognise the importance of making the reporting journey as clear and accessible as possible.
“Working alongside transport partners, we remain committed to encouraging people to come forward, improving victims’ experiences, and ensuring reports help us target offending and keep London’s transport network safe.”
