MP urges law to protect rail staff

Sheffield MP Olivia Blake has called on Parliament to introduce a new law to protect rail staff from physical violence and verbal abuse, after learning that 60% of the workforce have experienced one or both since the start of the pandemic.

The bill, which was proposed on September 15, follows the results of an RMT survey revealing that one in ten had been assaulted, 88% had been sworn at, 16% had been spat at, 13% racially harassed, and 6% sexually assaulted.