More than 1.5 million text messages have gone to British Transport Police’s (BTP) 61016 service since 2016, with almost 83,000 recorded crimes and more than 175,000 police deployments linked to the reports, the Department for Transport (DfT) said.
The department announced the campaign’s decade milestone Oct. 31. Its official launch date was Nov. 1, 2016. The campaign promotes 61016 as a way for the public to alert police to incidents on the rail network.
The text service predates the campaign. BTP says it began operating in 2013 and received more than 668,000 texts during its first decade. The DfT says annual use now exceeds 200,000 text messages, nearly 10 times the level recorded when the campaign began.
The service received 255,088 texts in 2024/25, compared with 211,479 in 2023/24, according to the DfT and the British Transport Police Authority. The British Transport Police Authority described the increase as 21%. Those figures count messages; the nearly 83,000 total refers to recorded crimes linked to reports over the campaign’s decade.
The campaign initially focused on counterterrorism. Its message now includes reporting other non-emergency crimes and safety concerns on the rail network. BTP says people should call 999 if a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger.
The DfT also outlined added support for rail policing. Under the government’s plan, BTP’s budget is due to rise by £63 million to £481.5 million by 2028/29, enabling more than 200 additional officer roles. The plan includes 36 officers focused on violence and intimidation against women and girls. The department also cited nearly £17 million for station CCTV improvements.
The campaign is intended to help passengers and rail staff report concerns to police, according to the government.
