A CRACKDOWN on railway robbers is under way to coincide with the clocks going back.

Traditionally winter is the worst time of year for robberies and British Transport Police (BTP) has launched a blitz to send a message to criminals they are tackling the problem head on.

With south London accounting for half of all rail robberies reported nationwide, the week-long assault on criminals using 22 stations in Bromley and Lewisham will see a clean-up on the worst railway lines in the country.

In the past six weeks alone there have been 48 robberies on trains travelling through Lewisham and Bromley.

Superintendent Colum Price said: "The clocks going back has meant a traditional increase in robbery, perhaps because robbers feel a little bit more secure in the darker environment.

"Mainly working in Lewisham and Bromley, we are trying to pre-empt the rise by hitting locations we know they will traditionally use."

Analysis has shown the five months from November until March see the majority of railway robberies.

More than 65 officers joined forces with revenue protection staff for the November 1 to 5 campaign to tackle the problem.

Police made 31 arrests for offences ranging from robbery to public order offences.

He added: "We want them to know we are out there and will be targeting them all winter."

With commuters and school-aged children falling foul of the largely teenage robbers on south London lines, including the route from Hayes, in Bromley, through Lewisham, the BTP is committing resources to tackling the problem throughout the winter.

The blitz last week included high profile uniform patrols at stations as well as travelling on trains.

Teams will also target known offenders and executing warrants to enforce bail.