Network
Rail


and
British
Transport
Police
have
launched
a
campaign
to
tackle
the
rising
number
of
sometimes
fatal
incidents
on
the
railway,
many
of
them
at
level
crossings.

A
total
of
24
people
lost
their
lives
on
the
railway
last
year.
The
majority
were
trespassers,
but
five
of
the
fatalities
were
at
level
crossings,
bringing
the
total
number
of
lives
lost
needlessly
to
a
five-year
high.

Nationally,
pedestrians
were
involved
in
457
of
the
467
near
misses
with
trains
at
level
crossings
last
year. 
Research
by
Network
Rail
has
revealed
that
at
least
some
of
these
incidents
could
have
involved
people
who
were
distracted
by
mobile
phones.

The
industry
is
taking
action
in
advance
of
the
school
summer
holidays,
when
trespassing
typically
reaches
an
annual
peak.

Two
new
safety
films
have
been
produced
which
are
intended
to
give
their
audiences
‘a
powerful
emotional
impact’
by
showing
the
real
consequences
of
hazardous
behaviour
through
the
experiences
of
those
who
witness
the
results.

One
of
the
films
explores
the
emotional
impact
on
families
when
people
have
been
badly
injured
on
the
railway,
while
the
second
features
an
NHS
trauma
specialist
explaining
the
catastrophic
injuries
caused
by
getting
hit
by
a
train.

As
well
as
the
risk
to
lives,
safety
incidents
can
often
delay
trains,
and
Network
Rail
said
that
last
year
more
than
a
million
minutes
of
delays
were
caused
in
this
way.

Paul
Langley
is
head
of
security,
crime
and
resilience
at
the
Southern
Region
of
Network
Rail.
He
said:
‘Every
fatality
on
the
railway
is
a
tragedy
and
the
main
focus
of
our
work
is
to
ensure
that
our
railway
is
safe
for
staff,
passengers,
pedestrians
and
road
users
that
come
into
contact
with
the
network.

‘Unlike
a
human
that
can
stop
abruptly
while
walking,
trains
need
the
length
of
several
football
pitches
to
come
to
a
stop.
Only
cross
the
railway
at
safe
locations
and,
when
doing
so,
remove
all
distractions
so
you
can
stop,
look
and
listen.
Only
when
you
have
determined
that
it
is
safe
to
cross,
should
you
do
so
and
you
should
cross
the
railway
efficiently
and
safely.

‘The
Southern
Region
is
powered
by
the
third
rail
and
it
is
always
on.
If
you
come
into
contact
with
the
electric
rail
it
will
hold
you
in
its
grip
and
cause
death
or
severe
injury.’

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