Dozens of British Transport Police stations may close despite rise in assaults

The railway’s regulator has issued figures showing a 17% rise in assaults on passengers and members of the public since 2023-24. Photograph: Murdo MacLeod/The Guardian

Dozens of British Transport Police (BTP) stations across Britain face possible closure, leaving fewer officers protecting the railway at a time when assaults on passengers have reached record levels.

BTP officials have imposed a hiring freeze and warned that some bases will have to close, signalling possible job losses after failing to secure enough funding to meet current commitments.