Hate Crime on the Public Transport Network

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  This is an issue that I take extremely seriously, and I simply will not accept this form of hate or abuse in London.  Everyone should feel safe when on London’s transport network and the safety and security of customers and TfL staff is a top priority for the Transport Commissioner and myself.  More than 2,500 police and community officers patrol the TfL network, keeping it safe and providing reassurance for Londoners.  With the support of our policing partners, the British Transport Police (BTP), the MPS and the City of London Police, TfL, MOPAC, and myself are committed to stamping out any form of hate crime on the transport network.  Together, we are ensuring efforts to tackle hate crime on public transport match those to tackle wider hate crime across London.

On TfL’s network, the police are prioritising investigation of hate crime reports, including video evidence of incidents reported in social media.  In June [2021], TfL launched Hands Up, a new campaign aimed at raising awareness of hate crime, encouraging reporting and reassuring customers and staff that all incidents are treated seriously.  This campaign was developed by working with community groups and frontline staff.  Through outreach events, TfL has further raised hate crime awareness and has provided support to victims.  As part of this, all the enforcement officers working on the TfL network have undergone hate crime awareness training.  The training is also available to all TfL staff, with over 500 in total having taken it up so far.  From next year, bus driver training will also include modules specifically on how to respond to hate crime, which will be developed in collaboration with community groups.  TfL provides direct support to frontline staff who have experienced hate crime and has a dedicated team working on how to prevent workplace violence and aggression, including rolling out body-worn video and ensuring customers are aware that TfL pushes for the strongest penalties against offenders.  This is a matter on which we all need to stand united, providing complete clarity that no form of hatred will be accepted on the transport network or anywhere else in London.  I thank the Member for raising awareness of this important issue.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM:  Thank you for your answer.  I am particularly pleased to hear about the bus driver training.  London is known as a welcoming and diverse city.  We want London to remain so, so we have got to urgently tackle the increasing levels of hate crime.  In June [2021], I witnessed first-hand a man verbally abuse my friend and colleague Councillor Rabina Khan when we were travelling on the Tube together.  When I initially reported this crime, I found BTP to be swift and informative, but this did not really last, and the process of getting a statement and so on was slow and not well-managed.  It was clear that this was an issue of resources, nothing to do with the dedicated officers who were involved, and I worry that such experiences could put people off reporting such hate crimes.  What are you doing with both BTP and the MPS to make sure they have the practical resources they need to deal effectively and swiftly with reports of hate crime, particularly given your current campaign?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  I am sorry to hear the experience of your friend and colleague when she did the right thing and reported a hate crime.  I will make sure I pass on that experience to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) because it is a whole criminal justice system issue you are raising.  It is great to hear that the BTP responded swiftly and would have taken a statement and passed it on to the CPS, who would have then made a charging decision before the court process begins and the charges are brought.  I am not quite sure what the problem is in that particular case, but if somebody has taken the brave step to make a complaint and it does not lead anywhere or the response is like you suggest, are they less likely to come forward next time?  They will tell their friends and family and so forth, and that ripple effect is no good for anybody.  I am happy to speak to the Member and see what needs to be done.  I would not want to give the impression it is due to a lack of commitment from either the police service, the CPS or others, but clearly something went wrong in that case.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM:  I think it is the resources.  I worry about the actual number of people if we are seeing this increase.  I was also contacted just last week by a Londoner, who was a victim of the most appalling homophobic abuse on a London bus and as well as reporting it to the MPS, it was reported to TfL.  Yet TfL has not dealt with the case well, it has not responded well to emails and it seems also to have information about the perpetrator, which may not even have been shared with the police.  What more will you do to ensure that TfL lives up to its campaign - you called it Hands Up, standing up against hate - not just through the posters that we are seeing on the network, but through consistent engagement with victims so that all Londoners feel confident and empowered to report such hate crime?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  I cannot speak about the individual case for obvious reasons, but bus drivers will receive additional training.  Bus drivers are sealed off and have in their cabin a code red facility, which is connected to a 24/7 control room.  I will give a general example.  If a bus driver witnesses a hate crime from somebody who wants to get onto the bus, they can refuse entry.  They should refuse entry.  If there is somebody on the bus and there is a danger to another passenger who has been a victim, or the driver, this facility enables a 24/7 control room to alert the police, enforcement officers, BTP, City of London, whoever it may be, and swift action is taken.  The other point I would make is that on the buses there are CCTV cameras.  In that particular case, without going into details, if there are concerns I am sure TfL will be looking at the CCTV and so forth.  I would be surprised if TfL were not cooperating with the police.  My experience is TfL always cooperate with the police in relation to any form of criminality in and around the TfL estate.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM:  Perhaps you could just pick that up generally.

Andrew Boff AM (Chair):  Sorry, I did not want to cut you short on such an important answer, but the Liberal Democrat Group is now out of time.

Caroline Pidgeon MBE AM:  Thank you for your answer.  I am particularly pleased to hear about the bus driver training.  London is known as a welcoming and diverse city.  We want London to remain so, so we have got to urgently tackle the increasing levels of hate crime.  In June [2021], I witnessed first-hand a man verbally abuse my friend and colleague Councillor Rabina Khan when we were travelling on the Tube together.  When I initially reported this crime, I found BTP to be swift and informative, but this did not really last, and the process of getting a statement and so on was slow and not well-managed.  It was clear that this was an issue of resources, nothing to do with the dedicated officers who were involved, and I worry that such experiences could put people off reporting such hate crimes.  What are you doing with both BTP and the MPS to make sure they have the practical resources they need to deal effectively and swiftly with reports of hate crime, particularly given your current campaign?

Sadiq Khan (Mayor of London):  I am sorry to hear the experience of your friend and colleague when she did the right thing and reported a hate crime.  I will make sure I pass on that experience to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) because it is a whole criminal justice system issue you are raising.  It is great to hear that the BTP responded swiftly and would have taken a statement and passed it on to the CPS, who would have then made a charging decision before the court process begins and the charges are brought.  I am not quite sure what the problem is in that particular case, but if somebody has taken the brave step to make a complaint and it does not lead anywhere or the response is like you suggest, are they less likely to come forward next time?  They will tell their friends and family and so forth, and that ripple effect is no good for anybody.  I am happy to speak to the Member and see what needs to be done.  I would not want to give the impression it is due to a lack of commitment from either the police service, the CPS or others, but clearly something went wrong in that case.