Yobbish behaviour on Sussex railways is soaring.

Passengers groups are demanding tougher safeguards to make travellers feel safer after official figures revealed a 41 per cent rise in public disorder in just one year on trains travelling between London and the South Coast.

There was also an eight per cent rise in violent crime.

While many crimes are going down, statistics released by the British Transport Police yesterday showed incidents of public disorder - when people behaved abusively, aggressively or drunkenly towards other passengers or rail workers - rose from 678 cases two years ago to 960 in 2005-6.

The figures, which include all journeys from the capital through Sussex, as well as services to Southampton and Ashford, showed violent crimes increased from 2,509 to 2,704.

Police blamed increasing alcohol use and football hooliganism. They said there had also been a sharp rise in racist attacks on travellers and train staff following the July 7 bombings last year.

Jane Cobell, of rail users group Passenger Focus, said: "Obviously it is concerning there are increases in public disorder and violent crimes and to stop this we would encourage much more staff presence."

She welcomed the overall 4.8 per cent drop in all recorded crimes on railways in the South and recommended a greater security presence to keep up the trend.

During the World Cup, a major police presence was employed on trains and at stations in an attempt to keep hooliganism under control. British Transport Police say they have been targeting ringleaders.

Inspector Gary Ancell, of the British Transport Police, based at Brighton station, said: "Public disorder has gone up. It can be people being drunk and disorderly, it can be people shouting and swearing.

"The hot weather doesn't help because people drink more and they get bad-tempered."

He said the figures had gone up partly because disorder was more likely to be noticed by a stronger police presence.

He said: "We are getting out and about more. If there is an officer there, it can be reported.

"The more proactive we are, the more we come across."