Transport for London Tackles Violence and Aggression Against Transport Staff

Transport for London (TfL) has today launched a new campaign titled ‘Abuse Has Consequences’ to tackle violence and aggression against staff on the network, sending a strong message to offenders that it is not tolerated on TfL’s services.

Work-related violence and aggression has increased across all TfL modes with around 200 incidents reported on average every week.

TfL has seen an increase in all incidents of work-related violence and aggression, with higher numbers of verbal abuse, threats, hate and aggression being reported. In 2023/24 there were 10,493 reports of work-related violence and aggression, compared to 9,989 in 2022/23, an increase of five per cent. However, the number of incidents of physical violence reported recently has decreased. From 1st April to 22nd June 2024, 197 physical incidents were reported by directly employed TfL staff, this is a 20% reduction compared to the same period last year, when there were 248 reported incidents. TfL hopes to continue seeing this downward trend through the widespread adoption of bodyworn video cameras, deployment of Transport Support Enforcement Officers and rollout of conflict management training.

TfL in partnership with its agency of record VCCP and Wavemaker UK, aims to challenge this behaviour with a D/OOH campaign across the network which makes it clear that both physical and verbal abuse is a criminal offence with consequences.

Research carried out by The Smaller Boat for TfL showed that highlighting the consequences of abuse against staff was an effective message with customers and staff focus groups showing support for the messaging and reassurances that perpetrators are caught and convicted.

VCCP worked with its global content creation studio Girl&Bear and digital experience agency Bernadette to produce the campaign which incorporates visual elements of consequences such as prison bars, arresting handcuffs and fines to land the clear message that ‘Abuse Has Consequences’.

The campaign uses real life incidents of staff abuse to send a clear message to perpetrators that they will be caught, and action will be taken. TfL will always work with the police to ensure anyone who assaults its colleagues is brought to justice. Examples of incidents highlighted in the campaign include: 

• A young man who violently threatened and assaulted a female Customer Service Assistant during rush hour at King’s Cross station in June 2023. He was sentenced to 38 weeks in prison 
• A teenager who spat at and racially abused a Customer Service Assistant at Balham station during rush hour in May 2023. She was arrested and sentenced to three weeks in prison 
• A 59-year-old man who verbally and physically assaulted a bus driver in Cromwell bus station in 2022. He was arrested and later sentenced to 20 months in prison

TfL takes work-related violence and aggression extremely seriously and this new campaign is one element of TfL’s work to ensure its staff are safe, feel safe and are supported.

Miranda Leedham, head of customer marketing and behaviour change at TfL, said, “TfL is committed to doing all we can to eradicate workplace violence and aggression and protect our colleagues in their roles. This new campaign takes a firmer, direct tone and aims to send a strong message to offenders that we do not tolerate any form of abuse towards our staff and we will push for the strongest penalties. This campaign is designed to aid the wider ongoing work across TfL to support our colleagues in tackling workplace violence and aggression.” 

Simon Learman, creative director at VCCP, added, “TfL believes that all Londoners have the right to use the travel network without fear of violence or intimidation. That includes TfL staff. This work is deliberately blunt to deter potential perpetrators from acts of violence by revealing the harsh outcomes.“

The campaign will run across London’s transport network from today with media planning led by Wavemaker UK.