Reports of sexual offences on public transport have risen dramatically – despite overall crime being at a record low.

Figures released by Transport for London (TfL) show the number of reported sexual offences across the network rose by 34.7 per cent in the 12 months up to April 2015 compared to the previous year.

TfL attributed the rise to a joint initiative with police to raise public awareness of unwanted sexual behaviour, and encourage victims to report the crimes.

Reported sexual offences on buses rose from 513 to 684, while London Underground, while attacks on the Docklands Light Railway rose from 429 to 567, and the London Overground 45.

Overall, crime across the transport network fell by 8.3 per cent compared to the previous year, with 2,502 fewer offences and the ninth year running of falling crime rates.

The rate of crime is down to seven offences per million passenger journeys, with overall crime down by 12.4 per cent on the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway.

Enfield saw a slight reduction in all bus related crimes of 0.7 per cent, from 452 in 2013/14 to 449 in 2014/15. 

The figures were released as plans were set out for policing the ‘night tube’, the first all-night services due to begin in September, which includes the Piccadilly line.

More than 100 officers will patrol the 144 stations open throughout the night each weekend, with a permanent presence at key stations and mobile teams travelling each line.

BTP rapid response vehicles will back up the police, along with 13,000 CCTV cameras across the network.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “I applaud the success of British Transport Police, Metropolitan Police and TfL in bringing crime down to record lows.

“We will be relentless in driving it down even further and will be making an enhanced police presence available for the Night Tube so that the network remains a safe, low crime environment whatever the time of day.”

Chief Constable Paul Crowther of British Transport Police said: “We have conducted research at comparable night metro services across the globe to inform our approach and we will have additional officers recruited specifically for the Night Tube services, ensuring they are highly visible and at the right place at the right time.”