South Western Railway (SWR) has reported an “unacceptable” rise in assaults and abuse against its staff members.

In response, the train operator has expanded the use of body-worn video cameras to help tackle the issue.

This year, SWR has recorded more than two assaults every day against workers across its network. These include violent attacks and verbal threats.

The number of reported incidents of violent and public order offences have doubled between 2020-21 and 2024-25, according to British Transport Police (BTP).

The upward trend is in line with similar increases seen in other public services and industries, such as in the NHS and retail.

Jane Lupson, safety and security director for South Western Railway, said: “The rise in abuse directed against our colleagues, including daily assaults, is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

“Keeping people safe on our railway is always our number one priority, not least our colleagues who serve our customers with care every day.

“The introduction of body-worn video cameras will help deter anyone thinking of abusing a colleague and help prosecute those who do.

“We hope this striking new campaign will remind potential perpetrators of the consequences of abuse, for colleagues and for them.”

Following an initial trial in 2021, SWR has introduced body-worn video cameras for colleagues in customer-facing roles, such as train guards and gate-line assistants.

The cameras, which are activated by the wearer and capture 30 seconds of footage prior to activation, can deter assaults and other anti-social behaviour as well as collect video and audio evidence for use in legal proceedings.

To warn potential perpetrators of the impact that abusing colleagues can have, both for them and the colleague, SWR has launched a new poster campaign.

Three posters depict intimidating incidents of abuse from the perspective of a colleague, captured on a body-worn video camera.

While it is hoped the posters will instil empathy for colleagues who face abuse, they also show the perpetrators facing police custody, trial and ultimately prison.

The campaign aims to prevent incidents by alerting potential perpetrators to the use of body-worn video cameras and reminding them of the consequences of abuse.

A study published by the University of Cambridge, commissioned by the Rail Delivery Group and BTP, suggested that body-worn video cameras can reduce the likelihood of assault against the wearer by 47 percent.

SWR is an industry leader in safeguarding, achieving the highest possible score of 100 percent for BTP’s Safeguarding on Rail scheme for two years running, demonstrating its commitment to looking after customers and colleagues.

Reporting incidents has been made easier for SWR colleagues thanks to the development of a new colleague app, which shares the information with BTP.

The new campaign follows another striking campaign SWR launched last year, highlighting the impact that thoughtless abuse of colleagues can have.

A spokesperson for SWR said these incidents can have a significant impact on colleagues’ physical and mental wellbeing, even affecting railway operations as colleagues take time off to recover.

They can also result in serious consequences for the perpetrator as SWR supports BTP with investigations and criminal prosecutions.