UK Rail Outsourcing Criticised Amid Rising Public Transport Hate Crimes
The UK government is under pressure to end what the RMT union describes as a rail outsourcing "racket" involving six major facilities management firms—Mitie, OCS, Bidvest Noonan, Churchill, Carlisle, and ABM—which collectively made about £152 million in contract profits last year, averaging 11% profit margins.
RMT analysis asserts these contracts pass costs such as minimum-wage increases and employers’ National Insurance contributions back to the government, effectively securing profits at taxpayer expense. Since 2016, contractors have reportedly siphoned over £1.6 billion from the railway sector, including the recent £152 million.
Carlisle Support Services is owned by Michael Ashcroft, and Mitie’s chief executive Phil Bentley allegedly earned £20.5 million over the past two years. While ABM disputes the figures and emphasizes its collaborative approach, others declined detailed comment. Carlisle noted expected contract transfers in the forthcoming parliamentary term.
RMT calls for a comprehensive insourcing programme to reinvest in staff and services. Rail Minister Peter Hendy acknowledged some parts of the railway could be managed in-house and that Great British Railways (GBR) should reconsider outsourcing. GBR is set to nationalise passenger train operations, though broader insourcing plans remain undecided. Labour had pledged a major insourcing initiative prior to the 2024 election, but current reforms constitute progress rather than a wholesale shift.
Meanwhile, hate crimes on UK public transport have risen, with racial hate crimes recorded by British Transport Police increasing from 2,827 in 2019-20 to 3,258 in 2024-25. Religious hate crimes grew from 343 in 2019-20 to 419 in 2023-24, slightly declining to 372 in 2024-25.
Scotland experienced a significant rise in racially motivated offences, while England and Wales saw more religious hate crimes targeting Muslims. A notable incident occurred in August 2025 in Glasgow, where an elderly woman verbally abused and sprayed Dettol at a passenger on a train.
Campaigners highlight that attacks on visible Muslims often take place on bus top decks or in half-empty carriages, with limited CCTV coverage hindering accountability. The British Muslim Trust calls for urgent action from local authorities, transport operators, and safety partners, emphasizing the impact of harassment on daily mobility and school attendance.
The Community Safety Trust links the increase in hate crimes to broader antisemitic incidents following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, urging law enforcement and prosecution bodies to address and prosecute offenders effectively.
