Some tube stations can make even the most experienced London commuter feel either very safe at night or the complete opposite and very on edge.
Earlier this year a stabbing took place just outside of Harrow-On-Hill in North West London which has made local people, especially students at the nearby university in recent months question the safety of these stations they use everyday.
For locals this may not be something too out of the ordinary, as the local crime rate for the station according to UKCrimeStats had a total of 156 reported crimes on record for January 2018.
TFL’s official site has a helpful section about staying safe and secure whilst using the underground. The page mentions how TFL have over 2,000 officers from multiple policing units such as the British Transport Police which patrol the underground. There is also helpful links and contacts for reporting anything.
‘We’re kind of like unofficial security guards for stations’
James is a tube worker at Wembley Park station and works from time to time at smaller stations such as Preston Road, Harrow-On-Hill. James spoke to us about the security within stations and what measures a regular tube worker in a smaller station has to take when it comes to dealing with crime.
Tube worker: James explains how they keep stations safe.
TFL’s customer care number referred us to their online webpage when asked to be interviewed about staying safe on the underground.
The majority of smaller stations tend to have a lower crime rate. Whilst researching which was the most dangerous, a 2016 report by the Evening Standard reported that Kings Cross had the highest crime rate with 457 crimes reported. Oxford circus, one of london’s most nutrioust tourist destination for shopping came in a close second in the ranking with 344 reported crimes within that year and Stratford came in third with 344.