Safety index · Lambeth, London · data through August 2026
Is Waterloo & South Bank safe?
Waterloo & South Bank records a high level of reported crime for Inner London. Its SafeRoute safety index is 44 out of 100 — 16 points below the Inner London median of 60, ranking 227th of 248 Inner London areas — based on 961 incidents reported to the police within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre over the month to August 2026.
DATA THROUGH AUGUST 2026 · 1 MONTH OF DATA
The 0–100 scale is calibrated to London — a typical London neighbourhood sits near 60. It ranks Waterloo & South Bank against other neighbourhoods here, and cannot be read against a score in another city.
The largest reported category here is violent crime (16% of reports) — worth taking seriously when walking at night; the full mix is broken down below.
Where incidents cluster
What's reported here
| Violent crime | 152 · 16% | |
| Theft from a person | 185 · 19% | |
| Anti-social behaviour | 166 · 17% | |
| Other theft | 205 · 21% | |
| Robbery | 39 · 4% | |
| Public order | 45 · 5% |
Walking in Waterloo & South Bank at night?
SafeRoute scores every walking route against the same official crime data on this page — and shows how much of each route runs on lit streets. Compare the routes and share your walk. Free, no account.
Get SafeRoute on the App StoreNearby areas
- St George's39/100 · Elevated
- Borough & Bankside39/100 · Elevated
- St James's33/100 · Elevated
- Kennington52/100 · Moderate
- Vincent Square48/100 · Elevated
Common questions
Is Waterloo & South Bank safe at night?
Elevated overall (safety index 44/100). At night, prefer lit, busier streets — a short detour often avoids the clusters on the map above.
What is the most common crime in Waterloo & South Bank?
Violent crime — 152 of 961 incidents (16%) reported within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre over the month to August 2026.
How is the Waterloo & South Bank safety index calculated?
SafeRoute weights each police-recorded incident by severity (violence weighs more than shoplifting), sums the last available period within 1 km of the neighbourhood centre, and normalises against national crime rates onto a 0–100 scale — higher is safer. It describes reported crime only; it is not a guarantee of safety. The scale is calibrated within London, so scores compare neighbourhoods to each other and cannot be read against another city's.