Call for specific offence of assaulting transport workers

Gordon Martin, the RMT’s Scottish organiser, said he has heard “horrendous” stories from members of being spat on, abused, threatened and attacked at work.

The RMT is to rally outside Holyrood this week calling for a new offence for assaulting transport staff.

It comes as British Transport Police revealed a 43 per cent increase in assaults against Scottish rail workers between April and September last year, as compared to the same period in 2024.

A recent survey by the RMT found 70 per cent of female staff had experienced workplace violence in the past year.

Mr Martin told the Sunday Mail: “It was only a few short months ago we had the terrible situation in Cambridgeshire of a mass stabbing on a train, with victims including the train manager, and the guard on that particular service.

“That is at the more extreme end of the scale, but it still happens.

“More commonly, there’s a lot of low-level verbal abuse, people getting spat on, people getting threatened. When I say it’s low-level, that’s not to say it’s not important, because of course it is.

“You end up with people traumatised and it happens right across the transport sector, from pier workers on the ferries to railway guards and ticket examiners.

“I’ve heard horrendous stories of station staff in particular facing real, heavy threats as well as people actually getting attacked.

“We hope a new standalone offence against assaulting a transport worker when they’re on duty will act as a deterrent.”

The most common form of abuse reported by women transport workers in 2025 was verbal assault, followed by threats of physical violence. Over 20 per cent said they had been sexually harassed.

Scottish government research published in 2023 also found that women and girl passengers feel safer on public transport when staff are present.