Unstaffed Pembrokeshire stop has highest crime rate per passenger
JOHNSTON train station in Pembrokeshire has been revealed as one of Britain’s most crime-ridden stations, according to new figures from British Transport Police (BTP).
Despite recording only ten crimes in 2024, Johnston’s crime rate per million passengers is the highest in the UK. The small, unstaffed station, which serves just 7,000 passengers a year—an average of 19 a day—logged a crime rate of 1,440 per million passengers.
Figures show that four of the ten recorded crimes at Johnston were violent incidents, which could include altercations, assaults, or even stabbings. The data analysis, conducted by MailOnline, placed Johnston at the top of the list due to its low footfall relative to the number of reported offences.
A spokesperson for BTP said: “Stations like Johnston appear to have a high crime rate because they have a low number of crimes recorded combined with a low footfall of passengers. With less than one crime recorded per month, it’s incorrect to suggest passengers are at greater risk of crime at these stations.”
Johnston a hot-spot: The figures come from the British Transport Police
Crime on the railways at all-time high
The report comes as overall crime on the UK’s transport network has surged to record levels, with nearly 80,000 offences recorded by BTP in 2023/24. Violent crimes and sex offences have more than doubled over the past decade, while overall crime levels are up 55 per cent compared to ten years ago.
Johnston is not the only small station where crime rates appear disproportionately high. Redbridge station near Southampton recorded 38 crimes last year, translating to 1,180 crimes per million passengers. Similarly, Tiverton Parkway in Devon ranked fourth with a crime rate of 830 per million passengers, mainly due to theft and shoplifting incidents.
Serious incidents at major UK stations
While small stations dominate the crime rate rankings, larger stations continue to record the highest total number of crimes. London St Pancras International saw 1,616 crimes in 2024 but serves more than 38.5 million passengers annually.
High-profile violent incidents have raised concerns about safety at UK train stations. In August, 19-year-old mother Stephanie Marie was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in front of commuters at Crawley Station. Last November, 87-year-old Dorothy Chiles died after being attacked at Birmingham New Street Station.
BTP said they are increasing proactive operations to tackle crime on the railways, including stop-and-search initiatives and targeted crackdowns on county lines drug gangs. They urged passengers to report any concerns via their 61016 text service.
Despite the statistics, authorities stress that the chance of becoming a victim of crime on the railway remains low, with serious violent incidents remaining rare.