Rise in reported assaults on women aboard Caledonian Sleeper prompts safety review
Transport officials told Holyrood that complaints of assaults on women have risen on the Caledonian Sleeper and across ScotRail services.
During a session of Holyrood’s Transport Committee, officials reported a growth in complaints of assaults against women on both the Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail trains. She also mentioned plans to broaden the deployment of body-worn cameras on the sleeper service, noting that existing CCTV covers only public areas.
Joanne Maguire, ScotRail’s managing director, echoed the increase, attributing it partly to wider anti-social behaviour in society, and highlighted that safety of passengers, especially women and girls, is a personal priority. Since the rail operators entered public ownership, she said, significant funds have been allocated to improve safety, including expanding CCTV and increasing staff-issued body-worn cameras from 300 to 1,000. Both executives assured the committee that the issue is being taken seriously and that measures are in place to monitor and reduce offences.
Why it matters
Increasing reports of assaults on women on public trains raise concerns about passenger safety and the effectiveness of rail security measures.
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