Complaints about beggars, tramps and buskers on the trains rose by just over half last year to almost 2,000, reports the Telegraaf.

A report published on Wednesday by the Dutch transport ministry showed nuisance on the trains rose last year. It also said that verbal abuse, theft and vandalism at train stations increased, although fare dodging dropped.

In 2015, there were 1,960 reports of nuisance on the trains, caused by people begging, busking or hanging around – a rise of 56% on the previous year.

Theft at stations rose by almost a fifth to 1,490 incidents and nuisance at train stations increased by 18% to 6,271 complaints.

Junior transport minister Sharon Dijksma told Dutch MPs in a letter that more incidents may be being recorded because of a greater police and security presence in train stations.

Last year the government put in place eight measures to improve public safety on trains, the Telegraaf reports, after a female train conductor was severely attacked.

Not all of these have yet been implemented, but they include more cameras, faster-closing gates and more staff on trains considered at risk.