South Western Railway expanding the use of body worn cameras to tackle rise in assaults
More than two assaults every day have been recorded so far this year, while the number of reported incidents has doubled since 2020-21
South Western Railway (SWR) has warned of an unacceptable rise in assaults and abuse against its colleagues, as the train operator expands the use of body-worn video cameras to help tackle the issue.
So far this year, SWR has recorded more than two assaults every day against colleagues 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).
While improved reporting might explain some of the rise, the worrying upward trend is in line with similar increases seen in other public services and industries, such as in the NHS and retail.
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%.