Is the London Tube Safe? Calls for Women-Only Carriages Resurface After Woman Alleges Attempted Rape

Women's safety on the London Underground has come under renewed scrutiny after a woman alleged she was nearly raped on a Tube train, prompting a police appeal and reigniting calls for stronger protections against sexual violence on the network.

The incident comes amid growing concern over harassment and assault on London's public transport, with campaigners arguing that many women no longer feel safe travelling alone, particularly at night.

CCTV Released Following Alleged Attempted Rape

British Transport Police (BTP) have released CCTV images of a man they want to identify after a woman reported being attacked on a Bakerloo line train.

The alleged assault took place at around 11.40pm on 11 July on a train travelling between Waterloo and Lambeth North stations.

Police said the man approached the woman, who was travelling alone, exposed himself and then allegedly dragged her to the floor before attempting to rape her. She managed to fight him off before fleeing the train at Lambeth North, where she alerted station staff.

The suspect remained on the train before getting off at Elephant and Castle Underground station. Investigators believe he was also seen at Oxford Circus before the incident and later at Piccadilly Circus.

Detective Sergeant Krishan Appannah said: 'Our officers are supporting the victim following this horrific incident.

'We understand incidents of this nature are deeply concerning for the public and we're appealing to them directly to help us identify the man in the CCTV footage.

'One line of enquiry is that he may be homeless.

'We are asking anyone who recognises the man in the images to text us his name to 61016 quoting reference 948 of 11 July.

Women Share Their Experiences

The alleged attack has renewed attention on a petition calling on Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Transport for London (TfL) to introduce women-only carriages on the Underground. The campaign has attracted more than 15,000 verified signatures.

The petition was launched by 21-year-old London student Camille Brown, who said she had experienced harassment while travelling on the Tube from a young age.

'I've grown up in London and using the Tube has been vital to my daily life since I started secondary school aged 11,' Brown wrote.

'For millions of people it is often the only practical way of getting around the city, and I've had enough of women being unsafe and feeling like I can't do anything to change that.'

She recalled being harassed while wearing her school uniform.

'I distinctly remember, to this day, being about to get off the Circle line at Baker Street and a man harassing me to spend the day with him, instead of go to school,' she wrote.

'I was utterly terrified and the thought that kept coming into my mind was, "but I'm in school uniform?" Unfortunately, even that is not armour enough to protect against intimidation, harassment or even assault.'

Brown said another close friend was repeatedly threatened with a knife while commuting.

'Her trauma was so severe that she required a police escort for an extended period to ensure her safety. No one should ever experience fear like this simply commuting.'

Calls for Stronger Safety Measures

Brown believes existing measures do not go far enough.

'This system my family had in place was not preventative but reactive, similar to TfL's approach. This is not enough,' she wrote.

Campaigners point to TfL figures showing sexual offences on London's transport network rose by 10.5% in 2024. They also cite British Transport Police research suggesting more than one-third of women in London have experienced harassment on public transport, while a Girlguiding survey found that 56% of girls and young women aged between 11 and 21 feel unsafe travelling alone.

TfL says it continues to invest in policing across its network and works with British Transport Police and the Metropolitan Police to tackle violence against women and girls. It also encourages passengers to report incidents, saying the information helps identify repeat offenders, direct policing resources and improve passenger safety.

However, campaigners argue the latest alleged attack highlights why many women continue to question whether enough is being done to make the London Underground a safer place to travel.