Escalating Assaults on Rail Workers in Commuter Trains - Escalating Assaults Targeting Train Conductors
It's a grim reality – assaults on train staff in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) have skyrocketed. After a year, reports reveal over 1,300 threats littered the tracks, primarily targeting control and security personnel. This marks a 17% escalation from the year before. Disturbingly, physical injuries also saw an increase, jumping from 823 to 905 recorded cases – once again, predominantly directed at control and security personnel.
The alarming rise in so-called "security-relevant incidents" in rail transport reached nearly 43,000 last year (38,500 in 2023), according to the 2024 report for regional transport in NRW. The sharp increase, however, has been linked to improved data collection, as stated in the report.
Unfortunately, fare evasion remains the most prevalent issue, with almost 15,000 cases of riding without a ticket uncovered in regional trains alone (around 12,870 in 2023). Should buses, trams, and underground trains be counted, the numbers would undoubtedly surge.
The report, which sees annual cooperation between transport associations and the NRW Ministry of Transport, documents crimes, offenses, and peculiarities reported by NRW transport companies.
"Moral Decay"
Oliver Wittke, spokesperson for Rhein-Ruhr (VRR) – the largest transport association by population – pointed the finger at a "moral decay" as the root cause of these incidents. "This isn't undisguised rage stemming from poor service or specific events, but rather a rebellion against authority," Wittke stated at the report's presentation. Similar events have been observed among fire departments, rescue services, and the police.
Wittke emphasized the urgent need for consistent punishment for incidents, fare evasion, and reporting of insults to staff, and was adamant on refraining from trivialized fare evasion or any exemption from punishment, maintaining its deterrent effect. Insults to train staff must also be reported immediately, Wittke stressed.
Incidents of trespassing in train stations have also seen a substantial increase, jumping from 1,866 to 3,450. Conversely, there's been a decrease in cases of property damage. Wittke attributes this shift to increased video surveillance.
Strengthening Security: Bodycams, Video Surveillance, and AI
To bolster security in trains and train stations, Wittke emphasizes the need for additional bodycams for security personnel, more video surveillance, and more escort personnel. The future priority, Wittke stated, is to not only provide a comforting sense of security for passengers but also concretely protect employees in public transport.
Together with the federal police, personnel have also been provided with pocket cards carrying recommendations for sovereign and secure behavior. Video surveillance, particularly in smaller and medium-sized train stations, has been expanded. A state program targeting 100 train stations is nearly complete, with the last three stations set to be equipped this year.
AI could soon be integrated into video surveillance in NRW's regional transport systems, potentially detecting overcrowding, smoke, suspicious movements, or objects, according to Kilian Schäfer, head of the Competence Center for Security in NRW. However, data protection remains of utmost importance, Schäfer noted, with a pilot project already underway in northeastern Germany, live data from vehicles being transmitted to the Federal Police.
Safe Travel Amidst Concerns
"Train travel in North Rhine-Westphalia, like the rest of Germany, is safe. No one need fear, regardless of their travel time," assured Wittke. Tragically, only about 10% of crimes in public spaces occur in regional transport or at train stations. Daily, some six million passengers are transported by train and bus in NRW, with around 1.5 million passengers boarding regional trains in NRW every workday. Nevertheless, the perceived sense of security is starkly different, as Wittke notes: Only about half of public transport passengers feel safe.
- Vocational training for security personnel in EC countries might be valuable, as they could benefit from improved skills and resources to handle incidents like those highlighted in North Rhine-Westphalia's regional trains.
- The escalating issue of crime and disorder in the transport industry, as evidenced by the rising cases of assaults and fare evasion in North Rhine-Westphalia, could impact public-transit funding, potentially leading to a reevaluation of the industry's financial needs in the future.
- Despite the assurance of safe travel by Oliver Wittke, the general-news media may focus on crime-and-justice stories related to reported incidents on public transport, potentially leading to public concern and a demand for increased security measures.
