Posted 22nd July 2024 | 3 Comments
Trespassers on the track ‘every half hour’
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Network Rail has revealed that there was a case of trespassing on the railway every half hour on average in the year to 5 April, and that the total number of incidents reported was more than 19,300.
Compared with the previous year, the number of accumulated delay minutes rose by 15 per cent last year, making trespass one of the biggest causes of late running. It accounted for 108,168 minutes of delays to trains – equivalent to just over 1800 hours, 75 days or 225 working days.
Trespass is almost twice as likely to happen during the summer months, because more than three out of five incidents were recorded during British Summer Time. Network Rail and British Transport Police are calling on people to ‘keep themselves safe’ when they are near railway property.
A long-established programme of safety education is continuing over the summer holidays. One case used as an example of how straying on to the railway can have tragic results is that of 11-year old Harrison Ballantyne, who was killed on the line. Harrison’s story is told on the You vs Train website, which spells out the risks of crossing the lineside fence.
Parents of younger children may find more suitable details on the Switched On website, which includes education about the dangers of trespassing for all ages between 3 and 16.
Network Rail’s head of level crossings and public safety Rob Wainwright said: ‘Trespass can have a devastating impact, not just to the trespasser at risk of serious life-changing if not fatal injuries, but also on their friends and family.
‘Every year we see people taking risks, often unintentionally, because they don’t fully understand the dangers. Sometimes that ends tragically, like the case of Harrison. As the holiday season approaches, we are once again asking parents to ensure that they and their children know all about rail safety so they can behave responsibly. Help us to get everyone to where they want to be safely and on time this summer.’
Reader Comments:
Views expressed in submitted comments are that of the author, and not necessarily shared by Railnews.
Neil Palmer, Waterloo
Many of these morons can be identified from CCTV. The blurring out of their faces in these published CCTV images needs to stop now so these imbeciles can be easily identified and shamed (the same way some restaurant/pub owners have started publishing images of those who "dine and dash").
Next the law needs to come down hard on these trespassers with substantial fines and warnings that a second offense WILL result in jail time. Any drivers caught by CCTV misusing railway crossings should have their vehicles impounded for a minimum of 30 days with the offenders having to pay the towing and storage costs.
Thirdly, any of those seen endangering children should be investigated by their local authority for child endangerment.
Joel Kosminsky, London
No! While it is tempting to let these idiots endanger themselves, the damage they cause in such incidents to the rest of the service is disproportionate and destructive to people as well as transport.
There is no easy answer, but 'laissez-faire' is worse than what railway authorities are at least trying to do now.
Michael T., Reading
We have tried, tried, tried, tried, and tried again and again...
Every time there is a trespasser on the railway = ALL rail traffic comes to a complete and total HALT! They know the trains will stop, ergo they go on the Railways!
If we just simply operated business operations as usual, these idiots would KNOW the trains are not going to stop so they had best avoid the tracks if they place ANY value on their lives.