Updated announcements will be rolled out on trains and Tubes this week, nearly a decade after the slogan was first introduced. Originally devised as part of an anti terror initiative, the campaign has since expanded to cover a wide range of antisocial and criminal behaviour.
Despite complaints about its grammar and ubiquity, the phrase has proved effective. Reports to British Transport Police via the dedicated 61016 text line rose eightfold last year, reaching 255,000.
One case involved a passenger alerting officers to a man showing explicit images to women on two services; he was later convicted of multiple offences, including outraging public decency.
The slogan was created by Shoreditch advertising agency AML, whose research found that while passengers wanted to report suspicious activity, many were unsure how to do so. Ian Henderson, AML’s chief executive, said the text service gave people confidence that their concerns would be acted upon.
Rail minister Lord Hendy described the campaign as “more than just an earworm”, calling it “a crucial part of keeping our railways safe”. He added: “This refresh will help spread its message to even more people.”
The relaunch is being accompanied by a seventeen million pound investment for Network Rail, aimed at boosting British Transport Police’s access to live CCTV across the network. Officials hope this will speed up investigations triggered by passenger reports.
