MINISTERS were urged to ensure police are visible and present across the railways as staff are reporting “deeply worrying” levels of assaults, the TSSA warned today.

The transport union said the “first and most immediate deterrent must be properly resourced” British Transport Police.

Workers also want lone working practices to end, improved staffing levels and for train operating companies to make proper use of banning orders against repeat offenders, it said.

TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “Railway staff should not expect violence as part of the job. 

“Government and operators need to step up and properly protect workers.”

The RMT called on the government on Wednesday to introduce a specific criminal offence for assaulting public transport workers in line with retail staff.

It is supporting a cross-party amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, tabled by peers, which would introduce a standalone offence for assault of a public facing worker, including transport workers.