An increase in violent attacks on rail passengers prompted concern from one of British Transport Police’s (BTP) most senior officers.

A 17 per cent rise in violent offences between April and June compared to a year ago has been recorded by the force.

The total number of such offences increased to 103, while fewer were solved.

The clear-up rate was 41 per cent – 22 percentage points down on 2021.

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Officers told a meeting of the Scottish Railways Policing Committee there had also been a ‘significant’ increase in public order incidents.

BTP linked the increase to busier post-covid trains and more people going out at night, with alcohol ‘often a key instigating factor with main hub locations most affected’.

Deputy Chief Constable Alistair Sutherland said: "We have seen a rise in the number of violence offences against passengers in this first quarter [of 2022/23].

"That’s obviously a concern to us.

“In terms of public order offences against passengers, there has been a significant increase there as well.”

These increased by 27 per cent to 370, with a solved rate of 26 per cent – 15 points down on a year ago.

Mr Sutherland added: “In terms of overall violence, we have seen a slight increase, but our solved rate in detecting those offenders and bringing them to justice remains really high.

"I’m fairly confident in saying it’s the highest solved rate for that type of offence within BTP.”

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Total such offences increased by 19 per cent to 25, but the clear-up rate was up by 17 points to 83 per cent.

Mr Sutherland said public order offences against rail staff had seen a ‘slight drop off’ of 10 per cent to 53, with the clear-up rate also up, by 10 points to 32 per cent.

A BTP report to the committee also pointed to a ‘potential downward trend in youth-related violence’.

It said: “The threat of violence has been a key theme with youth offending and this is down by 27 per cent,” with 37 instances of threatening or abusive behaviour offences compared with 51 last year.

BTP’s Scotland commander, Chief Superintendent Gill Murray said ScotRail’s dedicated travel safe team, which was introduced last October, had been a ‘real, big benefit’.

The team was tripled from nine to 28 staff and was key to being ‘at the right places at the right time’.

Ms Murray said: “We are very conscious that for anti-social behaviour, the confidence in our passengers and staff is key for us.”

ScotRail security and crime manager Steven Elliot said it worked very closely with BTP to clamp down on anti-social behaviour.