The British Transport Police (BTP) has reversed plans to scrap its London sexual assault unit after public outcry.

Last month BTP announced it would disband the unit as part of a structural review, which would have meant sexual offences were investigated by officers in general teams.

The proposal sparked outrage among women’s rights campaigners who labelled the decision “disturbing” and called on BTP to explain its reasoning.

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BTP recorded 1,399 sexual offences in 2014-15, up 282 on the previous year.

Assistant chief constable Mark Newton, who previously defended plans to scrap the unit, admitted it had “unintentionally caused concern”.

He added: "Through our crime review we are committed to ensuring that more of our officers have the skills to support vulnerable victims and are given specialist training to target and prosecute offenders.

“However, over the past week, we have listened carefully to the views being expressed about the decision to absorb officers from the sexual offences unit in London into our wider crime investigation plans and acknowledge that this may unintentionally have caused concern.

"This concern undermines everything we are trying to achieve.

"That is why we have decided to halt any proposed changes to the sexual offences unit whilst we carry out an urgent review of the implications of this decision, to see whether it remains valid in light of the feedback we have received.”

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Gill Manly, Croydon Women’s Equality Party branch leader, called the plans “blinkered” and “not a good move” when they were announced.

She said: “It sends a very clear message that these offences are completely unacceptable and we don’t want anyone getting the wrong idea that it is not taken seriously.

“You should be able to catch any form of public transport and feel safe and I am very pleased to hear they have changed their minds.

“It is not just about women, it is about anyone – we must all feel safe and that is the important part.”

BTP set up Project Guardian in 2013, a multi-agency project involving the Met Police and the City of London Police, after a Transport for London (TfL) survey found 90 per cent of unwanted sexual behaviour on the transport network went unreported.

It was created in conjunction with three women’s organisations, the End Violence Against Women Coalition (Evaw), Hollaback London and Everyday Sexism.